


A Town Called Refuge

by Scarlet_Gryphon



Series: Scarlet_Gryphon's Sentinel/Guide AUs [11]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast), The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Barry and Taako are best buds. Fight me on this., Canon Trans Character, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Neglect, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Hate Crimes, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, NaNoWriMo 2018, Racism, Rough Trade Challenge, Sentinel/Guide Bonding, Spirit Guides
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-05 05:51:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 49,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16804780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Gryphon/pseuds/Scarlet_Gryphon
Summary: All Barry wants is the same as any other person, even if he is, as a sentinel, a supposedly dangerous mutant: to have a home of his own, someone to love, and a place to belong. He'll find all that and more in a little town called Refuge.Written for NaNoWriMo 2018 / Rough Trade Challenge 'Mutants'





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> There are discussions of a canon trans* character in this fic. I am not trans* myself but have tried to treat the issue with as much respect as I can. Please let me know if I need to fix anything. Thank you and enjoy.
> 
> Also, for those who don't know what the heck the Sentinel is:
> 
> [ Read me!](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Sentinel)
> 
> I've pulled bits and pieces of fandom/fanlore and the show and blended them together into an unholy mash, so... yeah.

Barry unlocked the door to his small office, stepping through the doorway and then shutting it behind him once he'd cleared the entrance. He made his way over to his desk and then sank into the chair behind it, staring blankly at the seemingly innocent piece of paper in his hand. He sighed heavily as he read over the words printed on it in stark black ink that contrasted sharply with the white paper:

  
  


_Dear Doctor Barry Bluejeans,_

_We are sorry to inform you that your request for a transfer to our New York office has been declined due to the fact that they are currently fully staffed. However, we have located an opening at our Refuge, Washington campus and have submitted your request to them. It has been approved and your new position as a Level Two Researcher will begin in two weeks' time. Temporary lodging has been secured for you, good for six months until after your arrival._

_If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us._

_Sincerely,_

_Drake Vladovich_

_IPRE HR Specialist_

  
  


Barry ran a hand over his face, knocking his glasses askew. God, this was unexpected, but, unfortunately, unable to be fought. The IPRE-- the Institute for Psionic Research and Education –was one of the few places outside of the military and law enforcement that sentinels and guides were allowed to work, though the IPRE had complete power over where their enhanced employees worked and when they were moved thanks to some rather draconian laws. After all, sentinels and guides were considered dangerous mutants that needed to be heavily controlled due to their extra-human abilities, and the best way to do that was to keep them under strict watch.

“Where the fuck is Refuge, anyways?” Barry muttered before turning to his computer and pulling up a search engine online. A few minutes later and he was reading the very short and thin Wikipedia article on it. The town was essentially a company/college town, having sprung up when the IPRE had opened a campus there back in the Fifties. It was an hour or so south of the Tri-Cities and a few miles north of the Columbia River and the Washington-Oregon border. It had just over a thousand inhabitants or so according to the last census, most of them likely either employees of the IPRE or the owners of the various businesses that had migrated there because of the IPRE's presence.

Barry was surprised to find that the Tri-Cities had an airport servicing it, which meant that he wouldn't have to be stuck for too long in a car. That was good, as since sentinels weren't allowed to drive due to the possibility of sensory fugues happening at any time, he would have to either arrange transportation with the Refuge campus or, God forbid, get a taxi or hire a car. The latter two were always dicey, as it was very rare anyone actually cleaned their vehicle to a sentinel-safe standard if they didn't have to, particularly not ones that were used for public transport.

At least he didn't have to buy a plane ticket, as that would be taken care of for him. Sentinels especially didn't do well on public flights unless said flights were short or if they were drugged to the gills, but Barry didn't like the latter choice. He hated how sentinel-strength tranquilizers made him feel, preferring to be cognizant of his surroundings and able to defend himself, even if that wasn't by very much legally. He knew he'd have to have a handler on the flight or flights at any rate, and hoped that whoever it was wasn't too intolerable.

Barry leaned back in his chair with a sigh, allowing himself a few more moments of fruitless melancholy and anger before shoving it away and then getting up. Right. Time to start packing and then find out what his future was going to look like.

-/-

The town of Refuge seemed smaller than what Barry had been expecting, even with his prior research. It was more than a one-light town, but only just barely. The local IPRE campus was at the north end of town, its grounds surrounded by manicured lawns and a ten-foot tall chain link fence that had subtle yet very sharp points at the top to prevent anyone from climbing over either way. The temporary housing Barry had been provided was in an apartment building a quarter-mile away from the campus, well within easy walking distance. It was a brick-faced building that Barry immediately liked the look of, especially with the neat rows of pleasant smelling flowers along the sidewalk near the entryway. A sign over the front door read 'Legato Heights' in wrought-iron lettering on a white background.

He checked the piece of paper he'd been given and then headed up the short flight of stairs leading to the front door. The inside of the main lobby was just as well kept as the outside, and Barry could tell immediately that they used relatively high quality sentinel-safe cleaning products just from the way his nose didn't immediately burn from the lingering scent of chemical cleaners. His apartment was 5-C, so he made his way upstairs, passing by the elevator since he only had the suitcase he'd brought on the plane. Most of his belongings except for what he had in his suitcase had been sent ahead with company movers, allowing him to travel light, something he appreciated.

Barry paused to catch his breath when he made it to the fifth floor, the stairs having been a little steeper than he'd expected. Once he was good to go, Barry made his way to his door and unlocked it with the key he'd been given. The apartment wasn't massive-- a one bedroom with a living room, small kitchen, and bathroom –but it was a lot better than the studio apartment Barry had had back in West Virginia. The boxes containing his belongings were stacked neatly in the middle of the living room, the few bits of furniture that had been moved as well arranged nearby.

Barry shut and then locked the front door behind him before setting his suitcase down and then getting to work unpacking. Several hours later, he'd finished making his bed and had gotten quite hungry. Thinking back, Barry remembered seeing a grocery store within walking distance, so he figured he'd might as well go there and stock up on necessities and ingredients for actual food rather than frozen goods. Maybe he'd even treat himself to a moderately priced steak and a baked potato.

With that in mind, Barry made sure he had his phone, wallet, and keys before leaving the apartment, making sure to lock up behind himself. The walk to the grocery store was pleasant. It gave time for him to start mentally mapping out the town and to see how things were laid out. There was a delicious smelling bakery nearby that Barry made a note of, his mouth watering at the warm scents wafting out each time the door was opened. He would definitely have to sample their wares, preferably soon.

He passed a convenience store and a laundromat, hurrying past the latter so he didn't get overwhelmed by the not-so-pleasant melange of scents coming from it, and then eventually ended up at the grocery store, grabbing a basket as he entered. Barry perused the aisles, making one round and taking stock of what they had before starting a second circuit of the store. He managed to find a small cut of steak that was on sale, some nice looking potatoes, and some other staples before he ran into trouble in the frozen foods section.

He was debating between what kind of frozen vegetable he wanted (mixed versus just straight peas or carrots) when the fractal pattern of the rime of frost on the door caught his attention, highlighted by the flickering of a florescent light overhead. Barry only just managed to half push the sleeve of his jacket up on his left arm to reveal the medical alert cuff he wore on his wrist before he sank into a zone out, his vision focusing solely on the swirling patterns of the ice crystals to the exclusion of everything else.

-/-

Taako was bored of shopping. It was one of the most annoying things about being an adult in his opinion, especially when he had to follow a list and couldn't just pick and choose various ingredients for whatever dish he wanted. No, he had to follow _Lup's_ list and get what _she_ wanted, all because it was her turn to pick what kind of meal they were going to have for their weekly dinner / bitch session. At least it wasn't something stupid like pasta, though Taako was _definitely_ going to have to have a talk with his sister about her choice in vegetables.

Seriously, frozen snap peas? Fresh were _way_ better and had a much more satisfactory crunch when eaten over frozen. He turned the corner into the frozen foods aisle, consulting the list again to double-check what brand Lup wanted, and didn't look up until he accidentally ran into someone.

“Whoa, sorry my dude,” he apologized, stumbling back. The nerdy looking guy he'd run into didn't say anything, and barely even flinched at the sudden contact, all of his attention seeming to be on the freezer case in front of him. Taako arched a well-groomed eyebrow and then looked at the freezer, trying to see what was so interesting. Bags of frozen peas, carrots, and combo veggies met his gaze, all looking as equally boring and mundane as everything else in the aisle.

“Hey, uh, you okay?” Taako tried again. The other guy didn't react that time either, making Taako pause. Normally he would've just passed on by and talked about the weirdo in the Albertson's to Lup while they cooked together, but there was something about this guy that made him stop and take a second look.

Hm. Boring coat, well-broken in jeans, comfortable looking hiking boots, and-- Taako's eyes widened. A medical alert bracelet with the Sentinel-Guide Oversight Committee's official logo of a stylized eagle grasping a sheathed sword on it locked around the left wrist. Taako hesitated before cautiously reaching out and grasping the guy's wrist right above the bracelet. His pulse was slow and steady, as was his breathing, but he was out of it.

“Krav is going to kill me,” Taako muttered, closing his eyes briefly before concentrating. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with the subtle power only a guide could manifest. “Hey. Hey, my dude, time to wake up. No zoning out in the middle of an Albertson's. There's way better places to do it, and less chances of old ladies beating you over the head with their canes 'cause you're in the way.”

It took what felt like hours (but which was probably more like a minute or so) for the sentinel to come out of his zone, and when he did, he shook his head like a dog emerging from water. Taako let go of his wrist once he seemed out of the worst of it, trying to look casual.

“Hey. You okay?”

The sentinel turned to look at him, dark brown eyes widening behind his glasses. “Wh-what? Oh, uh, yeah, I am. Thanks,” he said, giving Taako a sheepish smile. “I, uh, I would appreciate if you didn't tell anyone about that?”

“What, you think I'm gonna report your ass to the SGOC?” Taako scoffed. “Please, I do _not_ want to have to deal with that kind of paperwork. Besides, they're all assholes and would probably drag me into your mess as well.”

That earned a huff of laughter from the other man and then a nod. “Yeah, probably. Still, thank you.”

“No problem, my dude. So, what caught your eye, anyways? I doubt it was the unappetizing peas in there.”

“No, it was the fractal patterns of the ice, actually.”

Taako smirked. Oh God, his initial assessment was correct. This guy was a major nerd. “Yeah? I guess they are pretty shiny,” he said before maneuvering around him when he spotted the snap peas Lup had wanted and grabbing a bag from its frosty prison. “Not my jam, but you do you.”

“That doesn't usually happen. My eyesight's one of my worst senses, but it still acts up sometimes.”

Taako glanced over his shoulder. “Good for you?” he said, confused as to why the conversation was still going on. “You new here? Don't think I've seen you around, and Refuge isn't exactly New York City.”

“I literally just moved here today. I was transferred from the West Virginia branch of the IPRE,” came the explanation. Taako perked up at that.

“Yeah? What's your specialty?”

“Research, mainly, with a focus on spirit guides and the bonds they have with their chosen person.” A hand was extended to Taako. “Dr. Barry Bluejeans. Nice to meet you.”

Taako blinked. “Wait, really?” he asked, eyeing the offered hand warily before shaking it. Barry smiled ruefully.

“Yeah, it's a long story that essentially boils down to disliking my father's legacy and wanting to distance myself as much from him as possible,” he said with a lopsided smile. “You'll have to get me three sheets to the wind before you get that story from me.”

“That's very tempting. Taako Taaco, and yes, I know I can't really talk, but the first is a family name and the second was mangled at Ellis Island, and no one's bothered to change it.”

Barry laughed at that, the corners of his eyes crinkling in mirth. “What about you?” he asked, idly shifting his basket from one arm to the other. “I'm assuming you work for the IPRE as well?”

“Given what I am? Yeah,” Taako said. “I'm in research as well, though mainly in studying--”

His phone went off in his pocket, Lup's text tone ringing out brightly. Taako rolled his eyes as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, cutting off Alicia Keys' 'Girl on Fire' before he checked his texts.

“Ugh. As fun as this has been, I've got to run,” he said. “My sister's getting impatient about her fuckin' peas. See you around, Bluejeans.”

Taako turned and headed towards the checkout stands, leaving Barry to his frozen food wasteland. Barry watched him go, getting the strange feeling that he'd possibly just made a new friend. With a small shrug, he went his own way, paying for his groceries and then heading back to his new home. His dinner that night was a quiet one as he cooked and then ate his food, contemplating what the coming days might bring.


	2. Chapter Two

Barry started work the Monday after he arrived, glad to have a few days to himself to settle in. When he made his way to the front desk and checked in, he was made an ID badge with a faintly grainy picture over his name and then given a map of the campus and told where his new office and lab were. Barry followed the map, noting with some amusement that his name had been written on a piece of paper that had been stuck to the door in lieu of a nameplate. He assumed he'd likely get one at some point, but wasn't too fussed about the speed at which that would happen.

The lab was small but still had enough space for him to work, and his office that was just off it was much the same. Barry looked forward to setting everything up to just like he liked it, assuming he wouldn't have to share the lab with anyone. He hadn't been told that he was, but one never knew. He started rearranging things in his lab, making sure there was enough space in one corner for his testing and then calling for his spirit guide once everything was in place.

Sildar appeared out of thin air (though floating about four and a half feet up off the ground, a rather disconcerting sight if one wasn't used to seeing him do it), looking around curiously and turning on the spot with a lazy push of his flippers against thin air in his continued complete violation of physics. Barry watched him 'swim' through the air and nose at various bits of equipment with an amused expression, leaning back against one of the walls as he waited for the Weddell seal spirit guide to finish.

“Everything meet your high standards?” he asked, his arms crossed over his chest. “Or should I keep moving things around?”

Sildar turned his head to look at him and then rolled onto his side. “It'll do,” he said, idly waving a flipper. “You meet anyone here yet?”

“You mean besides the receptionist? Nope.” Barry pushed away from the wall with a shrug. Sildar watched him move around the lab, moving things here and there until he was satisfied with how they looked. After a while of this, Sildar huffed, his whiskers bristling in his impatience.

“Let's go explore,” he said. “You're all set up here and we need to know our territory.”

Barry shot him a look. “Our territory?” He scoffed. “Okay, there's like, three things wrong with that statement.”

“And what're they?”

“First, we've been here, like, four days in total, bud. Second, you're assuming that no one else has claimed this as their territory, and third, what the fuck? I'm not claiming anything except maybe this lab and the office as my territory here,” Barry said, ticking the reasons off on his fingers. “That's just rude to everyone else.”

Sildar huffed. “Whatever. I'm going to go explore.”

Barry rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright, I'll come with you, if nothing else than to keep you from getting into too much trouble.”

“Oh, please, I _never_ get into trouble,” Sildar said as he rolled onto his stomach and then swam through the air, going through the open doorway and out into the hall. Barry followed after him, grabbing the lanyard his ID was on and then slinging it around his neck just in case. The campus was an odd mish-mash of architectural choices, showing how it had evolved over the years. The building Barry's office and lab were in was a relatively modern concrete and steel construction, but as the two of them wandered around, they could see ones that were clearly from when the campus was first built.

The grounds were exceptionally manicured and well-kept, the lawns lush and green and the white concrete paths curving pleasantly between the buildings. Barry found himself relaxing as he and Sildar wandered the paths, his hands stuck loosely in the pockets of his jacket as he walked. The gentle sounds of ducks quacking nearby caught both of their attention, Sildar perking up while Barry groaned.

“Sildar, don't you d--” he began, but Sildar was off in a flash, darting off towards the pond that was just around the next bend. Barry hurried after him, reaching the pond just in time to see Sildar dive into the pond, sending waves across the water and disturbing the ducks. Barry sighed heavily and then pinched at the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. Every. Fucking. Time.

He came to a halt at the edge of the pond, looking out over the water. Barry watched Sildar happily play around in the water, chasing after the ducks without actually intending to catch any. He wasn't sure why Sildar liked chasing ducks, but inevitably, if he was in the physical world near a pond with ducks on it, he would go after them unless it was important that he shouldn't. As long as the seal didn't harm anything, Barry was fine with him enjoying himself, but he didn't have to jump into every pond they came across, either.

Barry checked his watch after about ten minutes or so, wanting to get back to their tour. When he looked up, he frowned, not seeing Sildar's sleek form cutting through the water. The ducks were starting to calm down as well, quacking to one another as they smoothed ruffled feathers. Barry stepped closer to the pond, the water lapping a little at his shoes.

“Sildar? Hey, bud, we need to--”

Barry was cut off when he felt a sudden sharp bump from behind, the force of which pushed him into the pond. He went face first into the water, instinctively throwing one hand out to brace himself while the other went to grab at his glasses to make sure they didn't float off. When he emerged from the pond, drenched head to toe and spluttering, he saw Sildar floating in the air and laughing his tail off.

“Really? _Really?_ ” Barry demanded as he waded out of the pond. “Why the hell did you do that?”

“I couldn't-- couldn't resist,” Sildar replied, still chuckling away. “You were such an easy target.”

“And you're an asshole,” Barry snapped, wringing out his shirt. “I still have to finish the day. I can't just--”

“Hey, are you okay?”

Barry and Sildar turned to focus on the newcomer, Barry adjusting his water-flecked glasses so he could see better. A young woman was standing nearby, looking concerned at his predicament. She was holding several books in her arms, her grip tight on them. Barry could tell that she was just a baseline human, but since the IPRE employed both sentinels and guides and regular humans, it was barely a concern in his mind.

“I'm fine, thank you,” he replied, giving her a crooked smile. “Thank you for asking. Just dealing with a... playful spirit guide.”

The woman looked at Sildar, one eyebrow arching. “I see,” she said, an amused smile starting to curve her lips. “It's good to see someone having fun around here.” She shifted her books to the crook of one arm and then held out her hand. “Hi. Lucretia Scrivener.”

“Barry Bluejeans,” Barry replied, shaking her hand briefly. “Sorry about the wetness.”

“No need to apologize,” Lucretia assured him, even as she shook her hand dry. “Tell you what, why don't you come with me and we can get you some dry clothes?”

“That would be great, thank you.” Barry gave her a thankful smile and then followed her into one of the nearby buildings, Sildar vanishing off into the psionic plane with barely a word goodbye. She led him to a gender-neutral locker room, leaving him there for a moment while she found some IPRE-branded sweatpants, socks, and a t-shirt in his size, as well as some towels.

“Does this happen often?” Barry asked as he dried off in one of the larger bathroom stalls. Lucretia, who was waiting outside, laughed.

“More often than you'd think,” she replied. “You're not the first to end up in that pond, though usually it's one of the students.”

Barry hummed, scrubbing his hair mostly dry before getting dressed in his new clothes. He made a soft noise at how soft the fabrics were and how the detergent used for them didn't irritate his skin. Making a mental note to find out just what brand they used, he stepped out of the stall, gathering his still sopping wet clothes and shoes in the towel he'd used to dry off with so they didn't get water all over the place.

“Thanks for helping me out,” he said, shooting her a quick smile. Lucretia nodded.

“No problem. Sorry about not getting you any shoes.”

Barry waved the apology off. “No need to worry about it. They'll dry and it's not that far back home from here.”

“I can drive you,” Lucretia offered. “No sense walking back in just your socks.”

“Thanks.”

The two of them chatted as they walked back to Barry's lab, taking as few external paths as they could in deference to Barry's shoeless state. Lucretia grimaced when she saw where he'd been put.

“Oh, God. They gave you Pringles' old lab,” she said with a quiet groan.

Barry gave her a confused look. “Pringles?”

“Sorry, Robbie. He was fired about two months ago. He, uh, he violated the IPRE's drug rules rather catastrophically,” Lucretia explained. “He also really loved Pringles, thus the nickname.”

“And what's wrong with the lab? It's more than big enough for what I need to do,” Barry said.

“The rest of the labs are on the other side of the building, along with better access to the bathrooms and the cafeteria. Also, the power's not the best in this part of the building. You might want to see about asking to be reassigned to a different lab.”

Barry rubbed at the back of his neck thoughtfully. “Maybe. I'll see how it goes, and if I have problems, I'll see about asking to change labs.”

“Well, if you find anything weird, just let one of us know,” Lucretia said. “Want to go meet the others in this building?”

“Sure, if they don't mind me being so casual.”

Lucretia just laughed. “Wait until you meet Merle. You'll look positively black tie next to him. Anyways, we can throw your wet clothes and shoes in one of the dryers and get them taken care of for you.”

Barry wasn't sure about that, but he gamely followed her out of the lab and through the halls. As they went, she told him a little bit about what kind of research they were doing there. Most of it was based on the psionic plane, though they were also doing research on bonds as well, something that greatly interested Barry since it dovetailed rather perfectly with his own independent research, making him feel better about having someone to actually talk to about it while there. Lucretia was acting as the chronicler of the group, though she did have a good side-job doing ghostwriting for autobiographies on occasion.

The lab Lucretia brought him to was far larger than the one he'd been given, obviously meant for multiple people to work alongside one another with various workstations set up around the perimeter. Each had a clear owner; Barry was amused to see one of the workstations that was tucked in a corner was almost completely covered in potted plants and bits of paperwork. Most of the others were relatively neat, with computers and various sheets of paper spread out over them.

There were three others there. Barry perked up when he saw Taako sitting on one of the chairs at a station across the room, feeling glad that there was a somewhat familiar face in the room. He wanted to know what the other man studied in specifics, since they'd been interrupted in their little chat a few days ago. The other two in the room were older men, both roughly about ten or so years older than Barry's own forty-five. One was at the plant-strewn station while the other was at the one next to him, busy with their work.

A pygmy owl was dozing on a perch under a voluminous fern, looking quite content as it snoozed away with its head tucked under its wing. Barry could see the faint hint of shimmering energy around its feathers that spoke of it being a spirit guide. He was vaguely curious to see who it belonged to, as he was always intrigued to see if there was a correlation between a sentinel or guide's personality and their spirit guide's form. To be honest, he personally couldn't see much correlation between his own personality and Sildar being a seal, but it was entirely possible that he was simply too close to the matter.

“Hey, Taako, Merle, Dav. Where'd Lup and Magnus go?” Lucretia asked as she took Barry's wet clothes and shoes from him and then went into a side room where he could see a few appliances including a washer and a dryer.

“They went to grab food,” Taako replied, not looking up from his computer. “It's from Ren's, so it'll be good. We got more than enough to share.”

“Good, because--” Lucretia paused while she started up the dryer and then came out of the side room. “--we have a guest.”

Barry immediately went to protest that they didn't have to feed him, breaking off when the three other men turned to look at him. He froze before giving a sheepish smile. “Uh, hi? I honestly don't have to eat here with you guys. I can just go to the cafeteria.”

Taako's eyes narrowed briefly before widening in recognition. “You're the guy from Albertson's! Brad? No, Bart?” He tapped his fingers against his desk a few times as he thought. “Barry! Barry fuckin' Bluejeans, now I remember!”

“Usually I just introduce myself as Barry, but I could always use a new middle name,” Barry replied, the dry comment leaving him before he remembered himself. This was a new place with new people, and he had no idea how they'd handle sarcasm, even with the brief exposure he'd gotten of Taako in the store. He needn't have worried, though, as the bearded man at the plant-covered desk broke out into a laugh before grinning.

“I like you,” he announced. “Merle Highchurch, and this is my husband, Drew Davenport, though he tends to go by his last name because the military trained him too well.”

“Air Force, thank you, and so what if I'm used to it?” Davenport retorted. “Anyways, welcome to the IPRE, Barry.”

“Thanks,” Barry replied. “But seriously, I can still just go to the cafeteria. I wouldn't want to intrude on a team lunch or anything.”

“Don't worry about it,” Merle said with a wave of his hand. “The food they serve in the cafeteria is pretty crappy, even if it's sentinel-safe. It's bland as hell and you don't want that. We always get way too food as it is, so there should be more than enough.”

“What happened to your clothes, by the way?” Taako asked. “Unless you're really that into the IPRE?”

Barry rolled his eyes and then took his glasses off to dry them further on the fabric of his shirt before putting them back on. “No, my asshole of a spirit guide decided it would be great fun to push me into the duck pond. Lucretia was very kind in helping me get dry clothes and lending me the use of your dryer for my other clothes and shoes.”

“Yeah? What kind of spirit guide do you have, then?” Taako asked. “No, wait, let me guess. Some sort of dog? A husky, maybe? Those guys are jerks sometimes.”

“No, not a dog,” Barry said, an amused smile quirking his lips. “Though I swear he acts like one sometimes.”

“Hmm. Likely not a bird, then, because you said he pushed you in,” Davenport mused, getting in on the guessing game. “Well, except for maybe an ostrich or other large flightless bird.”

“Oh, a kangaroo!” Merle suggested. “Or a cow!”

“None of those,” Barry said, pulling up a nearby stool and taking a seat. “Try again. I can give a hint, if you like.”

“No hints until we need them, Barold,” Taako retorted, pointing one elegant finger at him. “Hmm... not a dog, and not a bird, a kangaroo, or a cow. A horse?”

Barry shook his head, starting to feel surprisingly relaxed. The guessing kept going after a while, with everyone throwing out increasingly ludicrous suggestions, though Lucretia had begged off guessing since she'd already seen Sildar and would have an unfair advantage. They only stopped once two others came into the room, both bearing two large paper bags filled with some of the most amazing smelling food Barry had ever encountered. He turned at the loud greeting from the male of the pair, getting halfway to his feet to help before Lucretia and Davenport waved him off.

“Lup, Magnus, this is Barry,” Lucretia said as she relieved Magnus from one of his burdens and then went over to a clean side table to start setting out the food. “He's new here.”

“Hail and well met!” Magnus said with a grin as he followed Lucretia over to the table. “Where're you from, Barry?”

“I transferred from the West Virginia branch a few days ago,” Barry replied, turning to follow Magnus' movements. The younger man, much like Lucretia, was a baseline human, but Barry, even with his limited amount of empathic abilities, could feel just how naturally enthusiastic and happy he was. It reminded him a bit of a golden retriever, and the comparison made him smile to himself.

“Why'd you come to the ass-crack of Washington? There's not much out here to do besides stare at cows or farmland.”

Barry turned his head to look at Lup, who was setting things up on the table as well, Davenport helping her. “It, uh, it wasn't my choice,” he said with a lopsided smile, trying to keep the bitter tone out of his voice. “It was a company decision.”

“Oh, you mean they decided to ship you out here without so much as a by your leave?” Lup asked.

“Something like that. I originally applied to transfer to the New York campus, but they said that they were full, so they sent me here.” Barry shrugged. “I mean, I can do my work pretty much anywhere as long as I have the right equipment, so it's not too much of a hassle, but--”

“But you would've preferred that your choices actually got respected,” Lup finished. “I get it. Taako and I had to fight to be assigned to the same place. They were going to separate us, but we made enough a stink that they just gave up and put a note on our files that we worked best when together.”

Barry looked between the two of them, noted the very close familial facial similarities, and then nodded. “Twins? Very cool.”

“Thank you. Now, come and eat before Merle steals all the coleslaw,” Lup said, smacking Merle's hand away from the plastic spoon sticking out of the coleslaw tub. There was quite an impressive pile already on Merle's plate as it was, making Barry laugh softly. Merle backed off, grabbing a few rolls before retreating to his workstation, Davenport close behind with his own food.

“He can have my portion,” he said as he got up and then waited for Lucretia to finish getting her food before picking up a paper plate of his own. He looked over the selection and then made his choices, going with some of the dry-rubbed chicken wings, some garlic green beans, and a small amount of mashed potatoes to start out with, figuring he could go for seconds later if he wanted and there was enough food. He'd be able to handle that much dairy with little more than a bit of a stomachache, but any more and he'd have to go hunting down his lactose pills, something he couldn't remember actually bringing with him that day.

Barry sat down after grabbing a fork and some napkins, settling in to eat. He looked down at his food in surprise after his first bite, having mentally prepared himself to have to lower his sense of taste if the spices were too much. The food was flavorful without being too spicy, but wasn't overly bland, either.

“Good?”

Barry looked up at Taako, who had a slight smirk on his face.

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah,” Barry replied, hoping he hadn't made any embarrassing noises or faces. “This is really good.”

“Everything Ren's does is great,” Taako agreed. “And all sentinel-safe, too. It's one of the more popular lunch spots around here. This is one of our standing lunch orders.”

“I'll definitely have to check it out when I'm in town,” Barry said, already envisioning the fact that he'd probably have to up the time and distance on his daily jog to keep the weight off. He wasn't exactly a small man by nature, but he'd never gotten dangerously overweight either and was keen not to. Most sentinels and guides tended to burn more calories daily due to their gifts than a baseline human just by sheer dint of existing, but Barry wasn't about to rely on that simple fact of biology alone to keep the weight off. He usually did an hour long jog in the evening, but hadn't found a good route around town yet.

“Hey, is there a running track or a gym with treadmills around here?” he asked in between bites.

“I think there's a track that's open to the public near the high school,” Lucretia said. “Magnus?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, there's also one here on campus, over behind the Miller dorm building,” Magnus said, hastily swallowing his mouthful of food. “If you don't want to go across town to the high school, that is.”

“Thanks. I'll keep it in mind.”

They lapsed into a comfortable silence after that as everyone focused on their food, and Barry found himself liking the odd sense of familiarity and family he was getting from the others, even if he was just an outsider observing them. As the meal wound down, Lucretia took a drink of water and then cleared her throat.

“Hey, do we have any room for an extra workstation in here?” she asked. Davenport shot her an intrigued look.

“If we rearrange a few things, sure,” he said. “We could put one in that corner there.” He gestured to a corner that was currently occupied by a small round table and two chairs. “We'd just have to move the table and chairs. Why?”

“They assigned Barry to Robbie's old lab,” Lucretia said. That garnered a few blank looks before she sighed and then amended, “You know, Pringles?”

“Oh! God, that sucks,” Merle said, wrinkling his nose. “We can definitely come up with something.”

“We'd have to ask administration first, and you know how Sterling can get some times,” Davenport warned.

“I'd think he'd be happy having all his researchers in one place,” Lucretia countered. “Besides, they've been talking about renovating that side of the building for ages, and Barry would be the only one over there.”

Davenport held up a hand and then looked at Barry. “What would you want?” he asked. “We can get pretty noisy when we're working, especially if it's a full house, and you wouldn't have a lot of privacy. How much space would you need to work?”

“Well, my work's on the bonds between spirit guides and their people,” Barry said, idly tapping his fork against his now-empty plate. “I usually just use my own spirit guide for reference, and he's about nine feet long?”

“Holy shit, what the fuck? How do you have a spirit guide who's nine feet long?” Taako blurted out. Barry glanced around and, glad for the large amount of open space, mentally called out to his spirit guide. Sildar appeared out of thin air, this time floating in the air right around waist-height.

“This is Sildar,” Barry said, gesturing at him with one hand. “He's a Weddell seal.”

Sildar waved a flipper lazily in greeting. “Hey. It's a pleasure, I'm sure.”

“Huh. Very cool.” A hyena appeared next to Lup, its tongue lolling out. “This is Valkyrie.”

“Oh, are we doing introductions?” Valkyrie went up to Sildar, sniffed at him politely, and then turned to Barry, giving him the same treatment.

“Nice to meet you, Valkyrie” Barry said, focusing on her. He missed the quickly stifled surprised look that passed over Lup's face, the expression wiped away to her usual neutral one before he looked up again. Merle paused in eating his second helping of coleslaw to gently poke at the pygmy owl's stomach with one finger.

“Hey. Hey, wake up.”

The owl lifted its wing and glared sleepily at Merle. “What?”

“I want you to meet the new guy,” Merle replied. The owl ruffled his wings and then turned his head to look at Barry, the only stranger in the room. “Barry, Sildar, this is Pan. Pan, this is Barry and Sildar.”

“Welcome to Refuge,” Pan said, shifting his weight from one taloned foot to the other before settling again.

“Thank you. From what I've seen, it's a pretty nice place.”

Taako snorted softly at that. “Uh huh, sure.” His spirit guide, a mongoose named Garyl, was introduced next, followed by Davenport's arctic tern, Baervan.

“Aw, all this makes me almost wish I was a sentinel or guide,” Magnus said after everything was said and done. “Wonder what I'd have as a spirit guide.” He perked up. “Oh, a dog, maybe, or a bear!”

“A bear?” Lup let out a laugh that instantly had Barry's attention. It was warm and slightly throaty, something that decidedly pushed some of his buttons and well. He pushed his reaction to the back of his mind, however, strengthening his mental shields the best he could so he didn't make anyone feel uncomfortable with his interest.

“Why a bear?” Lup continued on. “Also, I'm pretty sure Julia would have something to say about having a Kodiak or a brown bear just suddenly appearing out of nowhere at random times.”

“It could be a black bear,” Lucretia threw in with a playful smile. Barry immediately pegged her as someone to watch out for. She seemed like the quiet type, but he suspected she was someone who could stealthily slide in a joke or a witty comment into a conversation that would entirely derail it. He immediately loved it and couldn't wait to witness her at work.

“Or one of those bear-like dogs,” Taako suggested. “One of those ones that looks like a giant teddy bear.”

Magnus grinned at that. “That would be _awesome_!”

Barry couldn't help but laugh at that, more amused by Magnus' enthusiasm than anything else. “You can get those without having to be a sentinel or guide, you know,” he pointed out. “They do exist in real life.”

“Yeah, but we've already got two dogs at home and I don't think Jules would let me get another,” Magnus said with a rueful smile. He pulled out his phone and then showed Barry several pictures of the dogs. Both were large mixed breed mutts and entirely too adorable in Barry's opinion.

“Let me guess, they think they're both small lap dogs and love to cuddle?”

Magnus laughed. “You've got that right. Fisher and Johann are both ridiculous and I love them to pieces,” he said as he put away his phone back in his pocket. “They're both rescues. We think Johann is mostly a wolfhound, while Fisher is part pit, though how much, we're not sure.”

“They're adorable nonetheless,” Barry said, earning a warm smile from Magnus. Once everything was cleared away, Barry checked on his laundry, noting that it didn't have much longer. He returned to the others, finding Magnus and Lup in a friendly debate about who would win in a straight up fight, Yoda or Darth Vader.

“C'mon, both of them were masters of the Force at the height of their powers, and even if we go with Yoda when he's on Dagobah, he was still pretty strong!” Magnus was saying.

“Yoda hid out on a planet for twenty years while Vader was keeping active and continually using the Force,” Lup countered. “Obviously Vader will win.”

“Is this a battle just between them or can anyone join in?” Barry asked. “Because if it's a free for all, I'm going to go with Mace Windu for biggest Force-wielding badass.”

The two of them stared at him for a moment, but Barry just shrugged. “Hey, it's Samuel L. Jackson. Besides, if we go with just Yoda and Vader, Vader's limited by how much he can move his arms due to the suit, so Yoda has greater range of movement. Even if it's Dagobah-era Yoda, he's going to win due to sheer speed and movement.”

“Traitor,” Lup proclaimed, thought Barry noticed that she couldn't entirely hide the amused smile on her face. Magnus held his hand up for a high five. Barry laughed and then met Magnus' hand with his own, unable to resist.

He was reluctant to leave once his clothes and shoes were done drying and he'd changed back into them, feeling a little better now that he was back in his jeans. Barry lingered as long as he could get away with, eventually slipping out and returning to his lab when most of the others returned to work, though they kept up their conversations as much as they could while they did so. In the privacy of his lab, Barry looked around, suddenly feeling rather alone. Maybe he would ask for that transfer sooner than he thought.


	3. Chapter Three

Over the next few weeks, Barry found himself spending more and more time with the others, eventually to the point where he requested a transfer of his private lab to the shared one. Sterling surprisingly hadn't put up too much of a fuss about it, allowing him to move his things over. Working with the others was a joy, even if they did disagree about things at times.

Barry settled in quite happily, barely noticing when he'd been there for two months until he saw the Christmas decorations starting to pop up here and there on sale in the few stores in town. It brought a faint sense of panic, as he had no idea what to get the others for the holiday. The weather was getting colder, though the first major snow hadn't really happened yet.

He was working late one night in mid-November, not really paying attention to the time as he was in the middle of a fascinating test on whether or not spirit guides could carry physical objects with them into the psionic plane or not. Sildar had agreed to take a tracking beacon with him into the psionic plane for Barry to follow, and so far Barry hadn't lost the signal. It was an amazing development, as it meant that it was possible for at least small objects to be taken between planes and still survive.

He barely heard the footsteps behind him, even with his enhanced senses, so great was his concentration. A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his research-induced daze, making him jump in his chair.

“Whoa!”

Barry turned to see Lup standing behind him, looking apologetic.

“Sorry,” she said with a slightly sheepish smile. “Didn't realize you were that into whatever's going on.”

Barry shook his head, waving off her concern with a wave of his hand. “No need to apologize,” he assured her. “I should've been more aware of my surroundings. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything's fine. I was just looking for you, actually. Merle said this was the last place he'd seen you, and you weren't answering your cell phone, so I figured I would come look for you.”

Barry picked up his phone, noting the missed calls and texts, as well as the fact that it was on silent. He quickly turned it back to ring and then looked back up at her. “Sorry. Had it on mute.”

Lup laughed. “Merle does that all the time,” she told him. “So, what're you working on that's got you so enthralled anyways?”

Barry launched into an explanation of what he and Sildar were testing, illustrating his words with his hands out of habit. He petered out after a while, his hands falling still. “Sorry. You probably don't want to hear me ramble on, especially this late at night.”

“Are you kidding?” Lup said. “Don't you dare apologize for that. I asked what you were doing. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't want to know.”

Barry could feel his cheeks warm up faintly at that. “Still. Um... You mentioned you were looking for me earlier? Was there a particular reason?”

Lup perked up. “Yeah! I wanted to know if you were doing anything for Thanksgiving. Magnus and Julia are hosting this year, but 'Ko and I will be doing most of the food. Our turkey is _amazing_ and shouldn't be missed.”

Barry blinked, surprised. “I, uh... yeah, sure. Thank you. Do... do you want me to bring anything?”

“A favorite side dish or maybe some drinks?” Lup said with a shrug. “It doesn't really matter. Be there around six.” She grabbed a piece of paper and then wrote down the address before handing it to Barry. Barry thanked her, looking at the address and then folding up the paper and tucking it into his jacket pocket.

“Six. Got it. I can't believe it's already almost Thanksgiving,” Barry said, running a hand over his face. He adjusted his glasses. “I'll have to put in an application for permanent residence after the new year. They only gave me temporary residence at my apartment for six months.”

“Which apartments are you at?”

“Legato Heights,” Barry replied. “It's a pretty good place for what I need.”

Lup laughed. “What floor? Taako and I have a two-bedroom apartment on floor seven.”

“Floor five. 5-C,” Barry said, chuckling as well. “I didn't realize we were so close to one another. Neat.”

“Definitely.” Lup put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “Speaking of home, you should probably head there soon. It's almost eleven.”

“God, is it really? I was honestly just thinking about taking a nap on that cot Merle thinks we don't know about in the utility room while I wait for the test to finish,” Barry admitted, “but I can probably leave it running and then come back in the morning to look at the results.”

“Yeah, that's probably a good idea,” Lup agreed, giving him a fondly amused smile. “Besides, God only knows when the last time was that Merle actually cleaned that pillow and blanket.”

Barry wrinkled his nose. “I mean, it didn't smell _that_ bad,” he said with a shrug. “I don't think Davenport would let him sleep on something that was actually dirty.”

“I mean, you're not wrong, but still, you should sleep on something that's not going to make your back complain in the morning.” Lup held out her hands to help him up. Barry smiled and then took them, pushing to his feet while Lup pulled him up. He couldn't help but notice how nicely their hands fit together, keeping his thoughts to himself as they let go of one another. He tried to ignore how much colder his hands suddenly felt when not in contact with hers.

“You're right. I'm going to head home and get some actual sleep,” Barry said. “See you in the morning?”

“Definitely.” Lup shot him a bright smile and then headed out of the room, disappearing around the corner. Barry listened to her go, cautiously extending his hearing until he was sure she was out of range before sinking down into his chair. He took his glasses off and then scrubbed his hands over his face. He knew himself well, and this...

God, he was sunk for her. Lup was an amazing woman and guide, and everything about her hit all of Barry's buttons _hard_. His senses felt very settled around her as well, regardless of if they were alone together or with the others. It was a little harder to tell when Taako and Merle were around, but he could tell they were highly compatible nonetheless. If Barry was honest with himself, that scared him, as did the thought that if he said anything and Lup didn't want anything to do with him like that, it could hurt their personal and working relationships irrevocably.

“Shit,” he muttered, running his hands through his hair before slumping back in his chair. Right. He could just keep doing what he'd been doing and either ignore it or pretend nothing was wrong and hope like hell it went away. Barry let out a huff of laughter. Yeah, like _that_ ever worked.

After putting his glasses back on, Barry pushed himself to his feet and then headed home, pulling his jacket tight around him as he walked outside. He fell asleep that night with heavy thoughts, his dreams a jumbled mix of reality and wishing.

-/-

Thanksgiving came faster than Barry had expected, and he found himself standing on the doorstep at Magnus and Julia's house, a bottle of wine in his hands. He hoped it would work well with what Lup and Taako were making, figuring that red wine would probably be drunk regardless of what kind of food was being served. He'd assumed the traditional Thanksgiving fare, but he'd long since learned not to expect the traditional when it came to the Taaco twins.

Julia answered the door, a warm and bright smile on her face when she saw who it was. “Barry! Come on in,” she said, stepping back to let him in. “You're the last one here.”

“Hopefully I'm not holding anything up,” Barry said as he entered the warmth of their house.

“Not at all,” Julia assured him, shutting and locking the door once he was fully inside. “Lup and Taako are in the kitchen, and the others are in the living room. The turkey should be done in about ten minutes, I think?”

“Good timing, then,” Barry said. “Which way to the kitchen? I want to drop this off.” He held up the bottle of wine to show Julia. She tucked one of the many small braids she wore her dark natural hair in behind her ear and then nodded.

“Sure. Just head up the stairs and go left,” she said. “It's hard to miss.”

Barry nodded his thanks and then went up the stairs, turning the corner at the top and heading down the short hall that connected to the open plan kitchen/dining room area. Lup and Taako were moving around the kitchen with purpose, Taako checking on the turkey while Lup was keeping an eye on the steamed vegetables.

“Hey, uh, where can I put this?” Barry asked, catching Lup's attention. His breath caught slightly at the smile she gave him, his heart feeling like it skipped a beat. He was sure she smiled like that at other people, but it always felt special when she directed it his way.

“Barry! Um, you can put that with the other drinks,” she said, gesturing at the side table where a collection of beer, wine, and other drinks bottles, alcoholic or non-alcoholic alike, were sitting. Barry put the wine down on a free spot on the table, looking over the other selections briefly before turning away.

“This all smells amazing,” he said, sticking his hands in his pockets as he looked around. “I can't wait to try it.”

“You'll have to wait until the others are here,” Taako warned, turning away from the oven. He pointed a pair of tongs threateningly in Barry's direction. “We've already had to chase Merle and Magnus out of here several times. Don't make us have to ban you from the kitchen as well.”

Barry held up his hands with a laugh. “Don't worry, I'll keep my hands to myself.”

“Good. How are you with a knife?”

“Um, I can use one safely?” Barry said with a shrug. “Do you need help with anything?”

“Cut up the celery into bite-sized pieces and then slice the tomatoes into small wedges for the salad,” Taako instructed, pointing to a cutting board and knife that were waiting on a nearby counter, along with the produce in question. “If you don't fuck that up, we might promote you to sous chef.”

Barry nodded, going over to the sink to wash his hands and then dry them with some paper towels before starting to do as requested. He cut the celery first, figuring it would go the quickest out of the two tasks. He paused when he was done, not sure where to put the cut up celery.

“Hey, Lup? Where do you want this?” he asked, turning to look at her. Lup, however, was not in the room, having stepped out momentarily. That left only Taako, who turned away from setting the table to go over to him and examine his work.

“Not too bad,” Taako said. He grabbed a small stainless steel mixing bowl and put the celery in it before handing Barry another bowl, this time ceramic, for the tomatoes to go into.

“Thanks.” Barry took the bowl from him, setting it aside before turning back to the tomatoes. They worked quietly together for a while longer, Taako breaking the silence as Barry was between tomatoes.

“So, I'm only gonna say this once, 'cause ch'boy doesn't really do advice and shit when it comes to other people's feelings, but you're not exactly subtle,” he said, making Barry freeze as he reached for another tomato.

“S-sorry?”

Taako left his work and then came to stand beside Barry, lowering his voice regardless of the fact that the others were distracted with their conversation in the living room, not to mention that Davenport was a good guy and wouldn't say anything if he did happen to catch what they were talking about, and neither would Kravitz, his own sentinel.

“You and Lup,” he said, propping a hip against the counter. “Your emotions spike sharply whenever she's in the room or when she smiles at you. You _like_ her.”

Barry went red, the backs of his ears and neck flushing along with his cheeks. He set the knife down safely on the cutting board and then turned to look at Taako. “I-” He sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck as he searched for the right words to say. “It's hard not to like her,” he said finally, keeping his voice low as well. “It's _Lup._ ”

“I know, and I also know that she's been through some real shitty relationships in the past, so either drop it or don't fuck it up,” Taako said firmly. “She doesn't need another asshole in her life telling her that she's not good enough just because she's different.”

Barry's brow furrowed at that in confusion before his eyes narrowed. “People have treated her like shit because she's a guide, right?” he said, a hint of a growl to his voice. “That's not-- It's not like she can _force_ them to feel anything for her, just like you or any other guide couldn't! That's not how it works, and—”

Taako held up a hand to cut his mini-rant off, looking as if he was caught between surprise and amusement. “Slow your roll, Bluejeans,” he said, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a small smile. “No. Well, I mean yes, but that's not what I meant. It's her story to tell, but not gonna lie, kind of surprised you haven't figured it out by now.”

Barry's confusion was back. He had no idea what Taako meant. Lup seemed perfectly normal to him, though there was a bit of an odd chemical edge to her baseline scent now that he thought of it. He figured she probably just needed to take daily medicine for something, but he wasn't about to violate her privacy by trying to sleuth it out or straight up asking her.

“There's nothing wrong with her,” he said, giving Taako a puzzled look. “I don't--”

“Hey, boys, everything okay?”

Barry and Taako turned to look at Lup, who was regarding them with an arched eyebrow.

“Yeah, just showing Barold how to properly cut tomatoes,” Taako said smoothly, stepping away from the counter. He nudged Barry. “Go get the others. I'll finish up here.”

Barry nodded, glad to get away from Taako's pointed looks as he left the room. He still wasn't sure what Taako had meant, but if Lup wanted to tell him, she would, and in her own time. His thoughts slid away from the odd conversation / shovel talk as the others got up and migrated to the dining room upstairs.

Barry took a seat at the end of the table next to Kravitz, giving his fellow sentinel a small nod in greeting before settling in. The meal passed with plenty of good conversation, laughter, and joking around. Barry felt like this was how holidays were supposed to be, surrounded by friends who were quickly becoming more like family the longer he spent time with them. If Lup hadn't extended the invitation, he would've either likely ended up working through the holiday or just going home and watching TV. This was a far better option in his opinion, and significantly less lonely.

After the meal was over and most everything had been cleared away, Barry found himself on the back deck with a half-drunk beer bottle in hand, looking up at the stars contemplatively. They were beautiful and surprisingly clear, but given that the nearest big city was an hour away, he wasn't too surprised that he could see them so well. He found some of his favorite constellations, smiling to himself as he located Cassiopeia and Orion in the sky.

He cocked his head when he heard the sliding glass door behind him open, relaxing some when he recognized Lup's footsteps. Barry made sure his mental shields were up as high as he could get them without causing problems, though it was slightly hard given that he'd been drinking alcohol.

“Hey. Enjoying the stars?”

Barry half-turned to look at her, his arms braced on the railing of the deck. “Yeah. They're gorgeous tonight.” And so was she, but he kept that to himself.

Lup looked up at the stars as she came to a stop next to him, nodding in agreement. “Mmhm. It's nice to be able to see so many.”

Barry hummed softly. “I've always loved stargazing, but I haven't had much time to do it recently.”

“You should relax more,” Lup said, nudging him gently with her shoulder. Barry glanced at her before returning his gaze to the sky. It was safer for him right then to focus on that than her face, as he was sure he'd make some sort of stupid comment about how gorgeous her eyes were or how her smile contrasted wonderfully with her light brown skin.

“I do relax,” Barry retorted, and then added. “Well, I try.”

Lup laughed. “I think I've seen you relax only a few times since we've met,” she said. “Seriously, it won't hurt to chill every once in a while.”

“What do you think I'm doing now?” Barry retorted. “I'm relaxing right now, aren't I?”

“Only technically,” Lup said. “I don't know if holiday meals actually count or not.”

Barry took a sip of his drink and then shrugged. “Either way, I'm not worrying about work.”

“True.” Lup went quiet for a while looking up at the stars contemplatively. “So, uh, what was it that you and Taako were actually talking about earlier?” she asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between them. When Barry looked at her in slightly panicked surprise, she merely rolled her eyes.

“I can tell when Taako is bullshitting me, and that was his bullshitting voice,” Lup said bluntly. “We're twins, remember? I've known his tricks for thirty-three years.”

Barry fiddled with his beer bottle, unsure of how to start without giving away his interest in her. “He, uh, he mentioned that there was something different about you but he wouldn't tell me what, said that it was your story to tell.” He hastened to add, “You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I'm not going to force you to tell me something you'd prefer to keep private just because Taako said something.”

Lup considered him for a long moment, her expression calculating, as if she was adding up the pros and cons of telling him. She turned and braced her arms on the railing, looking out over the dark yard below. “I, uh... Fuck. Taako can be a jerk sometimes,” she muttered.

“You don't have to--” Barry began, but Lup cut him off.

“No. It's important.” She let out a rough laugh. “To be honest, I thought you'd already figured it out and were just too polite to say anything.” She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing on, her posture tensing as if she expected to have to protect herself against him momentarily. “I'm trans.”

Barry looked at her, cocking his head briefly. He let out a quiet noise when he realized something. “Huh. That explains your scent.”

Lup shot him a confused look, clearly not expecting that response. “My scent?”

“Yeah, it's got a bit of a chemical edge to it,” Barry explained, gesturing absently with his free hand. “I figured you just had to take medicine every day. I guess I wasn't entirely off-base in that regard.”

Lup kept staring at him, making Barry shift his weight nervously from foot to foot. “...What?”

“You... you don't care about me being trans?”

Barry had never heard her sound that nervous about anything, and he hated that she even had to worry about that kind of thing.

“No,” he said firmly. “Look, you presented yourself to me as you wanted to be seen. You consider yourself female, so you're female, even if you weren't born with the corresponding genitals. Besides, it'd be pretty dickish of me to be disgusted by that. One of my main goals in life is to not act like a dick to people unless they absolutely deserve it, and you _definitely_ don't deserve it. We've both been handed shitty cards in life with how the government views us and our abilities, but I'm not going to say that I'm better than you just because my sex I was assigned at birth by my chromosomes matches the one I mentally agree with as being my gender. Besides, if you want to get _really_ technical, both sentinels and guides are theoretically pansexual since biological gender or sex doesn't really seem to matter when we consider that our matches could be anyone who's compatible with us, so actual or perceived gender shouldn't really come into the mix.”

He shrugged, a faint blush on his cheeks. “Sorry. I can get on a bit of a soapbox when it comes to certain things and--”

Barry was cut off when Lup threw her arms around him in a tight hug, making him accidentally drop his beer bottle to the deck, where it rolled away, its contents leaking through the gaps between the deck boards. He managed to recover enough to hug her back, one hand spreading out over her back to act as a bit of support when she relaxed against him. He rubbed her back a few times in a soothing manner, only moving it away when Lup released him and stepped back, carefully wiping at her eyes. Barry tactfully didn't mention the wet patch on his shoulder, though he did produce a handkerchief from a pocket and handed it to her.

“Th-thanks,” she said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “It's... I'm sorry for not telling you before. It's just that a lot of people get weird about it, so I usually just don't say anything. I don't want you thinking I was lying to you or anything like that. I just wasn't sure how you'd take it.”

“Like I said, you presented yourself to me as you wanted me to see you, and I respect that,” Barry said simply. “You weren't lying to me, and I understand wanting to protect yourself. I don't usually tell people I'm a sentinel unless I need to.”

Lup gave him a watery smile and then laughed. “Our lives are pretty fucked up, huh?”

“A little, but I think we can manage to get through them together,” Barry said. “Besides, people might hate us because we're different, but I think that those differences simply make us more awesome.” He hummed. “Well, more awesome than most people. Magnus, Julia, and Lucretia might disagree, but they're allowed.”

“Yeah, but only them,” Lup agreed. She sighed softly, a weight seeming to have lifted from her shoulders. “I'm going to go fix my makeup.” She leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek. “Never change, Barry. And... thank you.”

Barry nodded, glad for the darkness that mostly hid his blush. “You're welcome,” he replied, and then watched her go back inside. He only moved away from the railing when she was out of sight, retrieving his now-empty beer bottle from the ground. A minute or so later, Taako came out onto the deck, looking rather annoyed.

“What the fuck did you say to Lup?!” he demanded, striding up to Barry, who held up his hands in defense.

“Whoa, whoa, bud, calm down,” Barry said. “It's okay. We just talked.”

“Don't call me bud. What did you talk to her about?”

“About that subject you alluded to when I was cutting tomatoes,” Barry said calmly. “And I'll tell you the same thing I told her: I don't care what she presents herself as. She's Lup and that's all that matters to me.”

Taako's defensive posture slowly deflated, making him look like a cat who was slowly but surely depuffing its fur. He held out his hand. “Give me your hand.”

Barry frowned and then did so, holding out his free hand. Taako wrapped his hand around Barry's wrist and then stared at him intently. “Say that again.”

Barry could feel Taako's psionic gifts pressing at his mental shields, searching for any sign of deception. In a show of trust, he dropped his surface shield, letting Taako sense his emotions clearly as he said, “I don't care about what Lup presents herself as. All that matters to me is that she's happy with herself.”

Taako's eyes widened when he felt Barry lower his surface shield, something that didn't happen often outside of either closely related sentinels and guides or members of the same pack. Barry waited patiently, only raising his surface shield when Taako pulled away, his hand dropping to his side.

“Fine,” Taako said after a long pause. “I believe you. But I swear, if you do something to fuck things up with Lup, I'll kick your ass from here to Pluto.”

“I'll help you build the rocket,” Barry told him, meaning every word. “Now, can we go inside? I doubt anyone could've missed that little conversation, especially since you left the door open.”

Taako turned to see Lup, Merle, and Magnus all watching them, Magnus giving them a sheepish smile before hurrying off while Merle just grinned unrepentantly, looking like he was enjoying himself far too much. Lup had fixed her makeup and was currently standing with her arms folded over her chest. Taako glanced at her faintly annoyed expression, looked over at Barry, and then stepped behind him.

“Y'know what, Taako's good out here. You go on ahead.”

“Oh, no, if I have to face the music, so do you,” Barry insisted. He grabbed hold of Taako's wrist and pulled him forward, much to the other man's protests. Lup pulled Taako inside, hauling him into one of the side rooms on the same floor while Barry went to go recycle his beer bottle in the kitchen.

After that, Barry found himself hanging out with both Lup and Taako more, eventually forming a surprisingly strong friendship with both of them, though his friendship with Taako was far more brotherly than the one he shared with Lup. He was fine with that, and was quite content with how his life and work were going. That peace would last only for a few more months, the new year bringing with it trouble on the horizon.


	4. Chapter Four

February brought plenty of snow with it, as well as a slowly growing feeling of unease. The news had been increasingly worrisome in regards to people getting more vocal about sentinels and guides, especially with rumors of a group that was starting to gain traction with those who either feared their abilities because of misinformation spread by rumors or the media, or simply out of sheer ignorance. It was draining hearing about it for too long, and after a while, Davenport instituted a rule where news could only be talked about during lunch breaks or before or after work unless it was an emergency.

Barry had stayed overnight on the cot in the utility room off the lab because of the heavily falling snow outside the prior night, not wanting to get lost on the walk home even if it was a short distance away. He shuffled out of the utility room when he heard the others come in, his brain still sleep-fogged and his glasses sitting at his workstation, so he was running mainly on instinct. He followed the scents of coffee and tea over to where one of the twins was setting things out for everyone else. His hind-brain registered _pack-brother_ and _guide,_ both of which caused him to wait until no drinks were being held before he wrapped his arms around Taako's waist from behind in a hug and rested his forehead against the other man's shoulder, breathing in his scent with a pleased noise.

“Hey, Barry?”

Barry made a questioning sound at Magnus' careful query.

“You, uh, you know that's Taako, right?”

Barry hummed in agreement, not moving from his spot. Taako took his sleepy koala impression with a surprising amount of grace, patting his hand before holding up a cup of coffee roughly level with Barry's head.

“Here, Cling-Bear,” he said, amusement heavily coloring his voice. “One mint-chocolate mocha made with almond milk and two sugars. Go get caffeinated before you cause Magnus a hernia because you're hugging me.”

“I'm not gonna get a hernia!” Magnus protested as Barry took the coffee from Taako, giving him one last affectionate nuzzle against his shoulder and then moving away to sit at his workstation.

“I'll give you a hug as well once I'm done with my coffee,” Barry mumbled with his hands curled around his hot cup. “There's plenty of them to go around.”

That earned a laugh from the others and an eye-roll from Magnus. After a while, Barry felt caffeinated enough to join in on the conversation. The day passed without much fuss until just after lunch, the seven of them working away at their various tasks without distraction. It was Davenport who paused in the middle of his conversation with Lup, his head cocking to one side.

“Do... Does anyone hear that?” he asked. Merle frowned at his husband.

“Hear wh-” he began, but was cut off when there was an ominous rumbling and creaking from the structure below them before the building seemed to turn inside out around them in a harsh roar of sound and movement like the world's worst attempt at a theme park ride. Barry's senses were going insane as he was tossed about, the screams of the others the last things he heard before something hit him upside the head and he blacked out.

He swam back into consciousness an unknowable amount of time later, his head ringing and his mind thoroughly dazed. Barry had no idea which way was up or where he was, as it was pitch black, near freezing, and something heavy was pinning his legs down, or so he thought. It was hard to tell given how shaken he was. He tried moving, but even the smallest twitch sent pain radiating out all over his body. Barry coughed several times, the last one ending in a pained groan.

The building... the building had... exploded? Or collapsed? The pain made it hard to think, but whatever had happened, it had happened too fast to react properly. Barry slowly lifted a hand to his face, carefully patting at his head until his questing fingers stumbled upon a sluggishly bleeding wound. Alright, so, a concussion at the very least, which surprised absolutely no one. Go him.

He tried wiggling his toes next, focusing on slowly flexing his feet. He could feel and move them, a good sign, but trying to move his left leg any further beyond that brought a sharp pain. Likely broken or fractured, then, but since he was still alive, it didn't seem like his femoral artery had been punctured, and if it had been, then something was keeping it from emptying out.

There was no light where Barry was, so even with his semi-enhanced vision he couldn't see what was going on. He closed his eyes out of sheer habit as he tried extending his other senses, taking in slow breaths while he listened for any of the others and tried to stave off his growing panic. The debris around him creaked as it settled, the occasional far off-crash or ping suggesting things falling off onto the ground or other larger things. Smell was no use, as all he could get was dust, his own blood, and the remnants of a chemical smell he assumed was either whatever had blown up the building or was from the building itself.

“Sil- Sildar?” he croaked, praying that his spirit guide's complete disregard of physics and the laws of the universe in general would help more than hinder matters. “Sil, bud, I need--” He broke off into another coughing fit, his ribs aching as he did so but no sharp pains suddenly flared into existence. Likely bruised or cracked, then, but not broken as far as he could tell. Thank fuck for that.

Barry slumped back against the slab of masonry that he was propped up against, a small whimper escaping him when he opened his eyes and saw no difference between them being opened or closed. He hated the complete dark, always had, and often preferred to sleep with at least a dim light on so his vision wasn't entirely obscured. This... This was hell.

He forced himself to keep calm, taking small, regular breaths as he continued to catalog his surroundings as much as he could. He had no idea how much air he had, after all, nor how long he'd already been down there. Barry's watch was analog-- and now that he thought about it, he couldn't hear its steady ticking –and his phone had been on his desk when everything went to shit, so he couldn't even use that to check the time or use it for light.

Barry jumped when he felt a whiskery nose brush against his hand, holding his breath when the debris around him groaned threateningly.

“Sorry, sorry.”

“Sildar?” Barry let out a weak laugh of relief. “Oh thank fuck. What-- what happened?”

“Some assholes blew you the fuck up,” Sildar said bluntly as he snuffled at Barry's cheek. “They hit all the smaller IPRE campuses in a coordinated attack but left the major ones alone.”

Barry groaned. “Wh-what? Who--” He coughed again. “God. Who did it?”

“They're calling themselves the Hunger. That's all I know. No idea why they didn't hit the big campuses, but there you are,” Sildar replied. Barry could feel him move so his warm bulk was braced against his less injured side.

“What-- What about the others? Are they...”

“Still alive? Yeah, though trapped just like you are,” Sildar said with a sigh. “Rescue crews are working to get you guys out.”

“Good.”

Barry laid his hand on Sildar's back, using the feeling of his spirit guide's fur under his fingers to ground his senses. He closed his eyes, his awareness of time and his surroundings in general starting to slip in and out. Barry jolted back into true consciousness when he heard movement coming from above him, as well as muffled voices. He felt a trickle of dust and debris fall upon his face before a small shaft of light illuminated his rubble-strewn prison.

“Hell-- Hello?” Barry called out roughly. “Is... Is someone there?”

There was some quiet conversation before Barry could hear a single voice calling down to him.

“Hello down there! This is Benton County Rescue Services. Is it just you in there?”

“As far as I can tell,” Barry replied, watching as the rescuers slowly but surely widened the hole so they could see him properly. He shielded his eyes against the light until they adjusted, never more glad to see the fuzzy outlines of his surroundings. It took almost another hour before he was out and being seen to by medics who were trained in sentinel medicine, but Barry didn't care. He wasn't in the dark any longer.

“My... There were others with me when it all happened. Six others,” Barry said as the medics stabilized his leg and assessed his other wounds. “What-- Where are they?”

“It's alright,” one of the medics assured him. “The rescue teams are continuing to look for other survivors. Right now, we're going to focus on getting you out of here.”

Barry went to protest, but the sedative that the other medic gave him through his newly installed IV port stopped him, sending him into a hazy state of being that soon had him slipping into true unconsciousness.

-/-

True awareness returned to Barry in bits and pieces after that, coming back mostly in full in the middle of the afternoon several days later. He blinked awake, staring up at the blurry ceiling and wondering what had woken him up. There was the faintly chemical scent of sentinel-safe industrial cleansers, the feeling of soft cotton sheets against his skin, and the gentle hum of the electronics in the medical equipment around him. He was clearly in a sentinel-specific ward of whichever hospital had enough space to take him, a welcome sign indeed.

The weight of a cast on his left leg told him it had indeed been broken or fractured, something that would likely heal without much fuss. An IV in his left arm fed painkillers and a saline solution into his system, keeping him comfortable and hydrated. He could feel the dull discomfort of a catheter (a sensation he'd never thought he'd experience and wasn't sure how he felt about) but ignored it, glad he didn't have to deal with a bedpan.

After cataloging all that, Barry frowned when he heard a familiar heartbeat nearby. He turned his head, hissing softly at his dully aching muscles, and saw... Well, not much, but the blurry form of a short gray-haired person sitting in a chair in one of the corners of the room, their bearded chin tucked against their chest as they dozed. Merle, then. Barry went to talk, to say his friend's name, but the first attempt sent him into a coughing fit, which turned out to wake Merle from his nap anyways.

“Whoa! Welcome back to the land of the waking,” Merle said, getting stiffly up from his chair and then carrying it over to Barry's bedside, setting it down with a small grunt before taking a seat again. “How're you doing, kiddo? Want some water?”

Barry managed a nod as he coughed. Merle waited patiently with a glass of water with a straw in it, only putting the straw to Barry's lips once the coughing fit was over. Barry sipped at the cool water gratefully, settling back against his pillow when he'd had enough.

“Thanks,” he said, his voice more gravelly than usual. Merle nodded and set aside the water glass, keeping it within easy reach just in case, and then gently placed Barry's spare pair of glasses on his face, giving him back clear sight once more.

“No problem,” the older man said, waving off the thanks as he moved back. “You look like shit.”

Barry let out a huff of laughter, all he could manage at the time given how sore his ribs still were. “Thanks for the concern. How're you doing? Where's Dav?”

“Off visiting the others,” Merle said. “We were closest to an outside wall, so we were blown pretty clear of the blast. I'll leave the physics of it to the people who care about that kind of thing. We got away with some bumps and bruises and a few mild concussions.”

“And the others?”

“Mostly broken bones and concussions,” Merle said, leaning back in his chair. “We were far away enough from the explosion that no one in our lab got burned or anything like that.”

Barry narrowed his eyes. “And those not in our lab?”

Merle sighed heavily. “Boyland-- the janitor, remember? --he was down in the basement where the bomb was hidden when it went off. He was the only one who didn't make it. Everyone else got out with varying levels of injuries. The building itself is a total loss.”

Barry nodded, feeling grief that any lives were lost, regardless of how many. “Sildar told me that we weren't the only campus hit?”

Merle nodded, his expression grim. “Yeah. Most of the secondary campuses were hit. They're still doing search and rescue for some of them. We were lucky since our campus was one of the smallest.”

“Lucky us,” Barry said dryly. He ran his free hand over his face, feeling the stubble growing there. “What's the response been like?”

“Mixed. Most people are horrified, but there's always the idiots who're celebrating getting rid of supposedly dangerous mutants.” Merle shook his head. “I don't understand people like that.”

“Me either.” Barry sighed. “Do you know how long they want us in here?”

“Me and Dav have already been released, but the rest of you...” Merle shrugged. “I'm not sure. I--”

He turned when the sound of arguing from outside the mostly-closed door drew closer, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

“I don't care what you say, I'm going to go visit my friends! Now back off!”

“Mr. Taaco, I--”

“It's _Miss_ Taaco, and you of all people should know it's not wise to keep pack members separated for too long, especially when most of them are injured.”

The door slid open, admitting Lup and a rather frazzled looking nurse. Lup had her right wrist in a brace and sling and several healing cuts scattered across her face, but otherwise seemed relatively mobile. The nurse looked torn between chastising Lup even further and checking on Barry, but her sense of duty won out, so she brought a chair over for Lup for her to sit next to Merle and then looked Barry over. Once she was satisfied with his well-being, she promised to bring some food for him soon and then left the room, leaving the door cracked open.

Lup immediately reached out and took hold of Barry's free hand with her own. When she did, he could feel her surface shield wrap around him like a comfortable blanket, settling his senses like only she could. He felt tension he hadn't even realized he was carrying melt away, and he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Lup.”

Lup gave him a warm smile and a nod. “No problem. How're you feeling?”

“Like I had a building collapse on me,” Barry said, earning a quiet laugh from his two friends. Merle got to his feet, patting Lup gently on the shoulder before grabbing hold of his chair.

“I'll leave you two to it. I'm going to find Dav and see how he's doing. Try not to terrorize the nurses too much, Lup.”

“No promises,” Lup said with a grin. Merle returned his chair to its spot in the corner and then left, shutting the door behind him. Lup scooted her chair closer to Barry's bed, making it easier for them to keep in contact.

“So...”

“So,” Barry echoed. Lup shook her head, a lopsided smile on her face.

“Happy Valentine's Day, I guess?”

Barry snorted quietly. “Hell of a way to spend it,” he said, “stuck in a hospital with a broken limb and tubes in unmentionable places.”

Lup laughed at that, the sound wavering a little. “Shit. I promised myself I wouldn't cry,” she said, letting go of Barry's hand to wipe at her eyes with a tissue she hastily grabbed from a nearby box. Even with the lost contact, Barry noticed that her shielding stayed rock solid around his senses, something he tucked away for later perusal when he was alone.

“Don't apologize. Cry all you want to. I'm just sorry I can't really offer up a shoulder to cry on,” he said, earning a weak laugh.

“Fuck you,” she muttered, balling up the tissue in her hand. “That's not fair.”

“What's not fair?”

“You being able to cheer me up even when you're in a hospital bed.” Lup gave him a half-hearted glare. “Asshole.”

“If that's me being an asshole, then I guess I'm an asshole all the time,” Barry said lightly. Lup just wrinkled her nose at him and then threw away the used tissue.

“Whatever. So, um--” She shook her head. “God. Alright. Taako's pretty banged up, and so is Lucretia. Magnus has one hell of a shiner and had a pretty bad concussion when they brought him in. You and I were the worst off because we were closer to the blast, apparently.”

“Merle said it was in the basement?”

“Yeah. The building's pretty much demolished. The IPRE...” Lup sighed heavily. “It's in shambles right now. They're scrambling to figure out what to do with all of us. No idea when we'll be back to work or anything like that. Hopefully they don't just lend us out to the military or try to shove us in spare rooms at the larger campuses.”

“I've got money saved up in my bank account,” Barry said. “If they try something, I guess I can always try to quit and go into the private sector. Maybe see if Kravitz can get me a job at his place.”

Raven Securities was one of the few non-military or IPRE organizations in the US that accepted sentinels and guides into its ranks without too much of a fuss, its employees acting as private security for various individuals around the world, or so Kravitz said. Barry had his suspicions about it being something entirely different, but as long as Kravitz came home safely to Taako with all limbs attached, that was all that mattered in the long run.

“Yeah, maybe,” Lup agreed, looking thoughtful. “Mind if I join you there?”

She only seemed to be half-joking, something that gave Barry pause. “You want to leave the IPRE?”

“What is there to leave?” Lup asked, her joking manner fading. “It's blown to hell, literally, and they're scrambling around like chickens with their heads cut off.”

“What about the others?”

Lup sighed. “Look...” She glanced at the door and then leaned in, lowering her voice. “ 'Cretia and Dav have been talking about creating an independent organization. Something to give people like us choices of where they want to work. I don't know what it would do, exactly, but I don't know if they'll be going back. Taako will do whatever he wants so long as Kravitz is there-- he's talked about opening up his own restaurant or maybe even trying to start a cooking show on the internet –and Merle will go anywhere Davenport does. Magnus and Julia have been talking about maybe moving back to Raven's Roost to be near her dad if things don't turn around in the next month or so.”

Barry watched her for a long moment, considering what she had said. Part of it was bugging him, and he couldn't help but poke at it to see what happened, even if it was against his better judgment. “Why would you want to come with me instead of Taako?” he asked before he could stop himself. “If things don't work out with the IPRE, I mean.”

Lup sat back, a blush darkening her skin. Barry watched in mild fascination, as he'd rarely seen Lup so lost for words. She glanced away, her free hand fiddling with the phoenix pendant necklace she wore before she forced herself to stop. She took in a deep breath and then focused on him again, her expression set with determination.

“Because while I love Taako, he's not the person I want to wake up to in the mornings,” she said, and then paused. “At least, not like how I want to wake up next to you.”

“Lup--”

“No, let me finish,” Lup insisted. “I don't want to lose you, Barry, and I've wanted to say this for a long time, so don't fucking say it's all due to the explosion or whatever.”

“I wasn't going to,” Barry assured her, and then sank back on his bed at her pointed look. “Sorry, sorry. Go on.”

“Like I was saying...” Lup worried at her bottom lip briefly before continuing on. “You... I don't want to let you go. I want to have all the cheesy romantic shit with you and the fights and the makeup sex and everything in between. I want to have an actual relationship with you, and that's fuckin' scary for me. I want to hold your hand and bond with you and find out how many different kinds of love we can create together. I don't--”

She took in a shaky breath, tears starting to run down her face again. “I don't want to wake up not knowing your stupid face isn't a foot away from mine. I want to know what it's like to kiss you and hug you and--”

Barry reached up and gently brushed the tears from her face with a thumb, a deeply fond smile curling his mouth. “You are an amazing woman,” he said quietly, “and I would be honored to have you in whatever way you're willing to allow me.”

Lup stared at him and then leaned in against him, angling her body so that her arm was still supported. “Not fair,” she muttered as she cuddled close, adjusting herself so she was perched on the edge of the bed rather than the chair.

“How so?” Barry asked, carefully running his fingers through her hair.

“You made me cry with your dumb, sweet face and your kind words and your everything,” Lup told him, even as she leaned into his touch. Barry just smiled.

“I'll try not to make you cry, but I can't really change anything else,” he said. “Sorry.”

Lup stayed where she was until the nurse came back in to check on things an hour later, reluctantly returning to her room as instructed. The five of them were released a few days later, all of them congregating at Magnus and Julia's house to talk and relax, Kravitz showing up a few minutes after they'd all arrived. Barry found himself on the couch in the living room with Lup leaning in against him, his cast-encased leg propped up on a footstool that Magnus had made himself a while ago.

“So,” Magnus said after a half hour or so of idle chatter, “what are we going to do?”

The room fell silent as they all contemplated that question. What were they going to do? The answer wasn't immediately apparent, but Barry knew that whatever happened, he'd be at Lup's side. That much was clear.


	5. Chapter Five

By the time Barry was able to get the cast off his fractured leg two months later, the IPRE had barely recovered from the devastation caused by the Hunger, and was nowhere near able to restart any of its operations at its smaller campuses. Quite a few people had either been moved to the larger campuses or had been shuffled around to other agencies depending on their specialties. Those in Refuge seemed to have been largely forgotten, a state of affairs that they were all too happy to take advantage of for as long as they could.

They hadn't been idle, either. Lucretia, Davenport, and Merle had pooled resources and bought a large building on the outskirts of town that had been a fledgling community center at one point, but the funding had run out after a few years and it had shut down. Magnus had helped with the renovations, saying he'd needed something to keep himself busy now that his usual work wasn't available to him any more. He and Julia had visited Raven's Roost for a week or so but had decided to stay in Refuge for the time being, Magnus taking a job at a local furniture maker's that did custom cabinetry and furniture.

After some deliberation, Lucretia, Davenport, and Merle named their new organization the Bureau of Balance, with the intended goal of counteracting the horrors the Hunger had done and providing what resources they could to the people affected by the attacks, regardless of whether they were sentinels, guides, or baseline humans. Barry had been surprised to learn that Lucretia's family was rather well-to-do, and that she'd used some of the money from the trust fund her grandparents had set up for her to fund the B.O.B.'s existence. Merle and Davenport had chipped in as well, though that was mainly through recruiting personnel and organizing donors, something Davenport was rather good at considering his connections in the military and other areas of the government.

Taako had started up an informational cooking show on Youtube called 'Sizzle It Up with Taako!', and by all accounts it was doing wonderfully well. Kravitz's job with Raven Securities paid more than enough to cover their living expenses, so even with the loss of Taako's job at the IPRE, they weren't exactly hurting for money. Lup was an occasional guest star on the show, and even Barry had made an appearance once when Taako was showcasing recipes that were either dairy free or had dairy substitutes in them.

After talking with Kravitz, Barry and Lup had secured interviews with the Director of Raven Securities herself, Regina Corvo, though their positions were far from guaranteed. Lup had already had her interview but had refused to tell Barry how it had gone or what had been asked. Barry had felt faintly hurt about it for a brief time, but then figured that she probably hadn't been able to say anything given the nature of the work Raven Securities did.

When it came time for his own interview, Barry made sure he looked presentable, even if it was relatively informal, given that it was being held via video chat. Kravitz had supplied a secure laptop and was keeping an eye on things as needed. Taking in a deep breath, Barry sat down in the chair, wiped his hands on his pants, and then waited for the video chat to connect. It wasn't long before the call pinged to life, making Barry startle briefly before he regained his composure.

Director Corvo was a thin-faced woman with a piercing gaze that made Barry feel like she could see into his very soul. It was rather disconcerting, if he was honest with himself, and he hoped like hell that his apprehension didn't show too much on his face.

“Madam Director,” he said, inclining his head politely. “It's a pleasure to meet you.”

“Just as it's a pleasure to meet you, Sentinel-Doctor Bluejeans,” the Director replied. “Kravitz has been telling me about your work with the IPRE. He said you were studying the nature of bonds, specifically those relating to spirit guides?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Barry said with a short nod. He smiled lopsidedly. “Most of that research is either under the secure aegis of the IPRE or was destroyed when the explosion happened. I had to sign a very extensive non-disclosure agreement when I first started working there, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to reproduce it for you.”

“That's alright. We're not looking to recreate the work you've already done with the IPRE. We have people doing similar work here for us anyways. No, we were hoping that you and Miss Taaco would lend your expertise to a rather specialized team.”

“Ma'am?” Barry frowned. “I'm afraid I don't understand. What is it that you want Lup and me to do, exactly?”

“Raven Securities provides private security, as I'm sure you well know, but we also provide other services for our clients as needed. You would be part of a team with Miss Taaco and Kravitz--” At that, Barry could see Kravitz's eyes widening in surprise in the corner of his vision “--working directly under me. I can't say what you would be doing right now, even if this is a secure connection, but trust me when I say you would be working to rid the world of people like those in the Hunger who seek to destroy it.”

On one hand, Barry was mentally congratulating himself for his suspicions that Kravitz wasn't just a private security specialist, but on the other hand... “I'm not exactly a killer,” he said warily. Director Corvo merely gave him a thin-lipped smile as she waved off his concerns.

“No need to worry about that. You wouldn't be an _assassin_. We don't deal in that kind of thing. Consider us as more like... independent intelligence agents. You would have to go out in the field on occasion, but you would act as more of a support role while you get trained. Think of yourself as more of an analyst with field capabilities.” She paused. “Assuming you take the role, of course.”

Barry leaned back in his chair, his mind whirling. This was definitely one of the stranger job interviews he'd ever had, that was for sure. It sounded very tempting, but he wasn't going to agree without making sure of a few things first.

“I have a few questions before I make a decision,” he said.

“Go right ahead.”

“Alright, first, how much traveling would be involved for the work?”

“Mm, at least a trip a month, but likely not more. You would technically be on call at all times, but as Kravitz can tell you, it's not a job that is that travel heavy, surprisingly enough.”

Barry nodded, idly rubbing at his chin in thought. Kravitz did have to travel at least once a month, sometimes more on a rare occasion, but usually he was working out of his home office as far as Barry knew.

“Second question, is this job offer just for me, or is it a combined offer for myself and Lup? I'm sure Kravitz has told you, but Lup and I are in the middle of courting with the intention of permanently bonding. How will that affect things?” he asked, letting his hand drop back to his lap.

“Miss Taaco asked a similar question, and I'll tell you what I told her: while the job offer is technically separate for the each of you, we will gladly accept both of you if that is the main condition of you taking the job,” Director Corvo said. “We have nothing against bonded pairs, and in fact tend to prefer them for most positions as we feel they work better together in concert.”

Barry glanced over at Kravitz, took in a deep breath, and then nodded. “If Lup agrees, then I'm in,” he said finally. “I don't want to wait around for the IPRE to get itself back together any more, and if I can, I want to help bring the fight to the Hunger.”

Director Corvo smirked at that, her expression looking like the cat who got the cream and the canary all at once.

“Then Dr. Bluejeans, let me be the first to welcome you to the ranks of Raven Securities. Don't worry about the IPRE; I'll deal with them _personally_.”

-/-

The grand opening of the Bureau of Balance was held in the second week of April, the ribbon cutting taking place amidst great applause. One of the representatives for the state of Washington, Michael Jenkins, had even come to the grand opening, though most had figured it was part of a reelection scheme, as the man wasn't honestly all that popular after he'd bungled several key issues for the state. He'd only won his election because his opponent had dropped out due to family issues, leaving him with little contest.

After the hullabaloo of the grand opening had died down, Barry found himself wandering the halls of the B.O.B., curious to see how everything was set up. He found himself in what appeared to be a rec room of sorts, and was delighted to find an old upright piano tucked away in one corner. A quick test of the keys found it to be surprisingly in tune, something he figured Davenport had had a hand in. The older man was a great music lover and had a rather fine singing voice, though it was rare that he indulged in it.

Barry took a seat on the bench and placed his hands on the keys. He ran through a quick few scales before launching into a song, the simple melody growing more complex as he lost himself in the music. It had been some time since he'd played regularly, but the muscle memory of his childhood and teenage years quickly returned the longer he played. Some of his most cherished memories of his youth were from when he was playing the piano with his mother, as those were some of the few times they were able to simply enjoy themselves and not have to worry about work or school.

His mother had worked multiple jobs when he was a kid, his dad having divorced her when Barry was barely five. She'd had him late in her life, but he'd always seen her soft gray hair as a mark of strength rather than of old age. When he'd grown old enough to get a job of his own, Barry had worked every summer and weekend he could so his mother didn't have to worry as much about finances. He'd made sure to apply for as many scholarships as he could for college, especially after his sentinel abilities had surfaced in his senior year of high school.

Marlena had lived long enough to see him get into the master's program for Sentinel/Guide Studies at West Virginia State University before she passed away of lung cancer. Barry missed his mother often and wondered what she would think of him, if she would approve of his choices in life. He was sure she would've loved Lup, especially his guide's fiery spirit and love for life.

Barry's hands fell still on the keys as his thoughts turned melancholy, a bittersweet smile forming. He brushed a few tears away from his eyes and then returned to playing, starting up his mother's favorite song in memory of her. When he finished, he sat back, one hand rubbing at the back of his neck.

“Wow, babe. I didn't know you could play.”

Barry turned to see Lup in the doorway of the rec room and leaning against the door frame. He smiled at her and then shrugged. “It's been a while since I've played regularly, but yeah. How, uh, how long have you been there?”

Lup pushed away from the door frame and then entered the room fully, joining him at the piano and taking a seat on the bench next to him. “Long enough. I used to play the violin myself. Haven't touched it in years, but it might be fun to pick it back up again, especially if I have a hot and talented accompanist.”

Barry let out a soft laugh. “Let me know if you find one,” he said, only half-joking. Lup shoved at his shoulder.

“Asshole. You stop that right now. If I say you're hot, you're hot, end of discussion.”

Barry hummed in noncommittal reply and then leaned his head against her shoulder. “If you say so.”

“I do,” Lup insisted, taking hold of his hand. “So, what got you into playing?”

“My mom. She was... She was wonderful.”

He started telling Lup about his mom, wanting his guide to know about her. He hadn't really talked about his mother before, preferring to keep her memory to himself, but Lup deserved to know. After a while, he stopped talking, having run out of things to say. He stayed with his head cushioned on her shoulder, his eyes closed.

Lup squeezed his hand in quiet support. “She sounds like a great person,” she said after a while. Barry nodded.

“She was. I owe a lot to her. She's the main reason why I'm where I am today.”

“You had a pretty big hand in that as well, babe, but she definitely seems like a very good influence.”

Barry straightened up, rolling his neck to loosen the muscles and work out the kinks. It popped satisfyingly, making Barry let out a pleased noise.

“Feel better?”

“Much,” Barry confirmed. “Thanks.”

“Any time.” Lup got up and then held out her hand. “Let's go. The others want to grab dinner at Ren's to celebrate. You up for it?”

Barry stood, closing the keyboard cover before taking Lup's hand. “Yeah, I could go for something to eat.” His stomach grumbled, echoing the sentiment and making Lup laugh.

“Apparently so.”

The two of them left the rec room, joining the others in the main lobby. There was some good-natured ribbing about what had taken them so long, but soon enough they'd made their way to Ren's and were all crowded around a table in one of the private dining rooms.

“To the Bureau of Balance!” Magnus said, raising his glass of beer in a toast.

“To the Bureau!” the others chimed in, raising their glasses as well and then chiming them together. Barry sat back in his chair as he sipped at his drink, feeling warm and content with his family around him. They'd been through hell, and he had little doubt they'd have quite a ways to go before they were able to truly settle down, but they were making one hell of a start.

The meal passed with plenty of good food and laughter, eventually winding down a few hours later. Once they'd paid for their food, Barry and Lup bid goodbye to the others and left hand -in-hand, walking the short distance back to their apartment building. Lup had moved in with Barry a few weeks prior, leaving Taako with an extra room that he'd quickly turned into an office/editing suite for his videos. Kravitz had moved in shortly after, something Taako was pleased about to no end, as his sentinel had been maintaining a separate apartment for work reasons.

As Barry got ready for bed, he hoped that their lives would be less chaotic now that that they had gotten away from the IPRE and had some measure of independence. He got into bed next to Lup, holding her close as he closed his eyes, tantalizing thoughts of peace dancing through his brain.

-/-

All thoughts of peace had fled from his mind several weeks later as he, Lup, and Kravitz made their way through the halls of a Hunger base, weapons drawn and at the ready in case any of the seemingly unending legions of Hunger foot soldiers tried attacking them. They'd already run into several patrols on their way through the base and had swiftly dealt with them. Barry knew he'd be dreaming later about the men and women he'd had to shoot and kill, but for the time being his primal instincts were telling him that he was protecting the tribe by taking out those who worked for their enemy and that their deaths had been necessary.

The base they were running through was located in Montana of all places, the halls stretching warren-like in an abandoned hospital on the edges of a near-ghost town. There had been several intense empathic events there that spoke of guides undergoing trauma that was either bringing them online or-- and this was something Barry _really_ didn't want to think about –causing enough trauma to send the empathic spike rippling across the psionic plane before they died. Large enough amounts of trauma usually caused sentinels to go into catastrophic zone outs that often left them trapped in their own senses, causing states that were commonly called sensory fugues. The guide equivalent was an empathic fugue, leaving the sufferer in a near catatonic state as well.

The IPRE was nowhere near strong or well-equipped enough to investigate the events, leaving Raven Securities as one of the few organizations to take on the job. It was Barry and Lup's first field mission since they'd finished their training, and Barry was seriously starting to rethink his life choices. He'd never been much one for violence, and that was what it felt like the job was all about. Maybe it'd be better once he'd been on more missions. He didn't know.

Barry was shaken from his thoughts when they turned a corner and came across a locked ward. Judging from the faded and peeling sign over the double doors, it had once been the pediatric ward. Kravitz knelt down in front of the door and investigated the lock for a minute or so while Barry and Lup kept watch. He eventually brought out a set of lock-picks and started manipulating the tumblers of the lock, glad that it wasn't a far harder electronic one. He just hoped that there weren't any alarms tied to the door itself.

Once the lock had been successfully taken care of, Kravitz put his tools away and then straightened up, retrieving his gun from its holster before putting his hand on the handle of the door. He counted down silently from three, opening the door with his weapon at the ready in case any Hunger soldiers were waiting for them beyond. Barry and Lup followed close behind him, their guns aimed at the floor but ready to snap up at a moment's notice.

What met them on the other side of the door was not entirely what was expected, though given what ward they were in, made some sort of twisted sense. Two neat rows of hospital beds lined the walls to either side, most of them just skeletal metal frames with no mattresses. Five of them, however, were fully functional and occupied by children of various ages, though none older than fifteen, and all of whom were bound to their beds in some way. One of the beds was functional but not currently being used, leaving the three of them to wonder where its usual occupant was.

Barry could tell immediately that all of the children before them were either sentinels or guides, and if he had to guess, two of them were the former and the rest the latter. He wondered if the missing child-- assuming there was one –was a sentinel, in that case. He watched Kravitz slowly lower his gun when it was clear that no one in the room was going to attack them, and then he and Lup did the same.

“So... what now?” Barry asked to the room in general. Kravitz ran a hand over his face with a sigh.

“We call it in and get them out of here,” he said as he activated his radio headset. “That's really all we can do.”

“Right.” Lup went over to the nearest occupied bed and placed a gentle hand on the shoulder of the girl lying there. “Hey, sweetheart. We're here to help you. Is this everyone?”

The girl stared at her with wide eyes and then shook her head. “No,” she said quietly as she leaned into Lup's touch. “They took Specs.”

“Specs?” Lup prompted.

The girl shrugged, the handcuffs keeping her in her bed rattling faintly as she did so. “That's what we call him. He won't tell us his real name. He's got glasses, so... Anyways, they took him away.”

“Where to?”

The girl turned her head to look at a door at the far end of the ward. Lup followed her gaze, noting the sign for Intensive Care, and then sighed. She looked at Barry and Kravitz, the latter of whom was still calling in a retrieval team. Barry stepped forward with a nod.

“We can take care of it together.”

Lup smiled at that. The two of them left Kravitz to his work, trusting him to have their backs in case anything went wrong, and then cautiously approached the far end of the room. The door to Intensive Care was unlocked, giving them ready access to the room beyond.

The two of them entered the room slowly, weapons at the ready. Barry could hear low voices coming from nearby, the sound echoing off the walls. Pained moans accompanied the words, their higher pitch making Barry think that whoever was making them was significantly younger than the other speakers. He and Lup crept towards the sources of the sounds, moving slow and steady. They rounded a corner, and Barry--

Well, he didn't remember much after he spotted the young child strapped onto a reclining exam chair, dressed only in a pair of underwear and with various monitoring leads and liquid-filled IVs stuck on and in his small and mostly unconscious body. Everything was a rush of emotions-- primarily a protective rage mixed with horror –and a mixture of sounds and scents, the haze only lifting from his vision when all those who had been experimenting on the young sentinel were either dead or unconscious.

Barry came back to himself in a corner with Lup curled up on his lap, holding tight to him as she murmured in his ear. Members of medical team-- and when had they gotten there? --were carefully removing the various IVs and leads from the young boy, making sure they did so in the least painful manner possible. Lup broke off from the various recipes she'd been reciting as a grounding method and then moved back just enough to look at Barry's face.

“You back with me, babe?”

Barry blinked owlishly at her and then nodded. “Y-yeah. What-- what happened?”

“You went into a feral protection drive,” one of the medics said, leaving her team to go check on him. “It's common amongst sentinels when children are being threatened. I'd say this qualifies.”

Barry let her look him over, Lup moving out of the way so she didn't interfere with the exam. Once the medic was satisfied he was alright, she allowed Barry to get to his feet. He immediately went over to the exam chair, watching as the last IV port was removed and a bandage placed over the insertion site. Lup joined him, reaching out to gently brush a springy curl away from the boy's face. His skin was several shades darker than Kravitz's own warm brown, though it was somewhat hard to tell given how ashen the boy was at the moment.

“He's a guide,” Lup said, making Barry frown.

“No, he's a sentinel,” he corrected. They looked at one another before Lup arched an eyebrow.

“That's a myth.”

“Unless...” Barry said thoughtfully, looking back down at the boy again

“Unless...?”

“Maybe that's what they were trying to accomplish here,” he finished. Lup frowned.

“What could the Hunger want with an empathic sentinel?”

“I don't know,” Barry said as the medical team moved their patient from the chair to a small stretcher, “but we're sure as hell going to find out.”

They followed the medical team out of the room, noting that the other prisoners had already been released and taken away to the transport vehicles waiting outside. Kravitz joined them on the way out, placing a hand on Barry's shoulder as they went.

“You okay?” he asked. Barry smiled weakly.

“I have no fucking clue,” he admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck with the hand Lup wasn't holding. “That's never happened to me before.”

Kravitz nodded, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly before letting go. “It probably won't be the last time, but hopefully the next time won't be for quite a while.”

Barry let out a rough laugh. “Yeah, hopefully not. Are we done here?”

“As far as I can tell. A cleanup crew is going to do a full sweep of the place, see if there's anything useful on any of the computers or in any files. For now, we get to go home and relax.”

“What's going to happen to the kids?” Lup asked as they exited the building. Kravitz sighed.

“They're going to be checked over more thoroughly at a proper medical facility, and then we're going to start looking for their families.”

“And if they don't have any?” Lup pressed.

“I don't know,” Kravitz admitted. “That's not for us to decide.”

Lup went quiet, remaining that way until they reached the van that would be taking them back to the hotel they'd been staying in for the duration of the job while they'd been doing reconnaissance and secondary planning. Barry waited until they were in the safety and relative privacy of their room before bringing up the subject.

“You okay, Lup? You got all quiet, and that's not really like you.”

Lup took a seat on the end of the bed, running her hands through her hair. “It's just... What if those kids don't have a family? What're they going to do, send them to foster care? The system isn't built for people like us.” She smiled bitterly. “Trust me, Taako and I learned that the hard way. It's shitty and horrible.”

Barry sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Lup immediately leaned in against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss against the side of her head, nuzzling at her hair.

“We'll keep an eye on them and figure something out if they don't have somewhere to go,” he told her. Lup sighed and then tilted her head up to look at him.

“Promise?”

Barry smiled at her, hoping like hell he could keep his word if it came to it.

“Promise.”


	6. Chapter Six

Barry woke with a sharp jerk, sitting bolt upright with a cut-off yell. He put a hand on his chest, feeling his heart thundering against his palm as he tried to catch his breath. His dream-- no, it was _definitely_ a nightmare –had been full of claustrophobic darkness and an overwhelming feeling of loneliness. Barry glanced over at Lup, wincing when he saw that the sudden movements and noise he'd made had woken her as well. She pushed herself up on her elbows to look at him in the dim light of their room.

“Barry? Everything okay, babe?” she asked sleepily. Barry ran a hand over his face with a sigh.

“I'm fine,” he assured her. “Just... Just a bad dream. Go ahead and go back to sleep.”

That had Lup sitting up more, her concern writ broad across her face. She reached out and cupped his face with a hand, her thumb running along his jawline. “Not when I can still feel your panic like that. Want to talk about it?”

Barry closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. “Not really. It was just--”

“Just?” Lup prompted.

“Darkness. I never liked complete darkness even as a kid, and then when the building collapsed... I'm pretty sure Sildar was the only thing keeping me sane until the rescuers got me out from under the rubble.”

Lup shifted position so she could hug him, something he gladly returned. It had been three and a half months since the attack and a month and a half since they'd started working at Raven Securities, and while he'd gotten used to the work they had to do for the latter for the most part, he was still working on getting past what had happened at the IPRE, if that was even possible. Barry was well aware that recovering from trauma like that didn't have a magical solution, but he still hated that his brain was forcing him to relive it when he was supposed to be peacefully asleep.

Barry was broken out of his thoughts by Lup moving from the bed and sliding firmly onto his lap, her arms draping over his shoulders and her hands interlocking loosely behind him. He blinked a few times before placing his hands on her hips.

“Hi,” he said, his curiosity getting the better of him. “What're you doing?”

“Getting your brain to shut up-- or rather, focus on something else,” Lup told him before kissing him. It took a moment for Barry's brain to catch up, but soon he was kissing her back, his heart thundering again, this time for a far more pleasurable reason. Kissing Lup always felt like coming home, like a piece of him he hadn't been aware that he'd been missing had been restored. As the kiss went on and then deepened, Barry felt himself relaxing-- well, for the most part.

His cock was certainly doing its best _not_ to relax, especially with the way Lup was pressed flush against his body. Barry could feel Lup responding against him, particularly with the way she started moving her hips in small rolls. He moved his hands from her hips to her ass, his fingers digging into the soft flesh there, though he made sure his grasp wasn't too harsh. He didn't want to hurt her, after all.

Lup moaned, her hands shifting so she was holding onto his shoulders, her fingers wrinkling the fabric of the lightweight t-shirt he was wearing. She tugged at it after a while, seeking bare skin. Barry laughed and then gently moved her back.

“If you want us to be naked, you're going to have to move enough for us to get undressed,” he pointed out, playing with the waistband of her underwear. Lup grinned and then moved off his lap long enough to pull off the tank top and boxer-style underwear she used as pajamas, baring her skin in several swift movements. Barry got undressed as well, eager to get his hands back on Lup's warm body as quickly as possible.

She resumed her former position straddling his lap, a brilliant grin on her face that Barry loved to see. His thoughts entirely focused on the gorgeous guide in his lap, Barry soon forgot about the nightmare he'd had. He let his hands roam over Lup's body, heightening his sense of touch to thoroughly map every plane of her body. He cupped her breasts, his fingers brushing against the thin scars under them from her surgery before he dragged his thumbs purposefully over her nipples. She shivered, her skin particularly sensitive around that area.

“God, Barry. That's not fair,” she said with a groan, rocking against him. He reached down and took both of their cocks in hand, giving them an easy channel to thrust into. Lup put a hand on his shoulder, pausing things for a moment while she grabbed the lube from the bedside table and put some on his hand before settling back on his lap.

“Take two?” she suggested. Barry chuckled and then nodded

“Definitely.”

The lube helped ease the way, and Barry couldn't help but soak in the noises he was drawing from Lup. He wasn't exactly being silent himself, moans and gasps escaping him as they moved together. As they chased their mutual pleasure, Barry could feel the bond between them growing ever closer to completion. He let himself fall headlong into it, the intimate rush of sensations and emotions swirling between them as intoxicating as any fine wine.

“Barry--” Lup moaned, her fingers curling sharply against his shoulders. “God... Bond with me fully?”

Barry stuttered in his movements before he nodded. “Y-yeah. Of course. I want... I want that so fucking much,” he said before drawing her into a deep kiss and dropped his primary and inner mental shields as he started moving his hand again. Lup reached out with her own shields, wrapping them around him in a protective buffer. He reached back with his once hers were in place, sealing the bond between them.

He lost himself in the pleasure as the bond settled, feeling Lup shudder through her own orgasm. She slumped against him, panting heavily. Barry placed his clean hand against her back, his thumb running along the bumps of her spine. The bond hummed happily between them, making Barry feel like he could take on the world at that moment.

“Lup--” He was lost for words as he tried to figure out how to describe how he was feeling.

“Yeah, I know.” Lup laughed softly, nuzzling at his jaw. “You really know how to rock my world.”

Barry hummed, kissing her gently. “Right back at you, gorgeous.”

They cuddled for a while after that, Lup eventually moving to get a washcloth to clean the both of them up. With that done, they settled back in to sleep. No nightmares visited either of them after that, allowing them to get a good night's rest.

-/-

Angus sat in a corner of the backyard of the group home he'd been put in, watching the others run around and making a lot of noise. He sighed before turning back to his book, trying to lose himself in the adventures of Caleb Cleveland. It was hard, though, especially when he kept thinking about his three rescuers. He'd barely been conscious when Barry had come storming in, passing out not long after the older sentinel's arrival. They'd visited him in the hospital before they'd had to leave, allowing Angus to tell them thank you for saving him.

Barry was not what he'd expected-- to be honest, none of them were –but then again, Angus wasn't exactly the most typical sentinel himself, so he couldn't really cast judgment. He wondered how they were doing, and if they had thought about him since they'd last seen him. It was unlikely, or so he assumed. They were probably far too busy to worry about one lone ten year old, even if they'd rescued him a month prior.

Angus adjusted the set of his glasses and looked down at his book again. He stopped trying to read when he realized he had read the same paragraph several times without actually comprehending it. After slipping a bookmark between the pages, Angus closed the book and then got to his feet, brushing his pants off as he did so. He went into the group home, passing through the living room and heading to the kitchen to see about getting a sandwich.

When he got there, he saw Mr. Bodett, the man who ran the group home, watching a video on his laptop computer. Angus ignored it until he heard a familiar voice, something that made him stop in the middle of hunting down sandwich ingredients and turn to watch the video. That _looked_ like Miss Lup, but unless she'd changed genders since he'd last seen her, Angus figured that it had to be her twin brother.

“So, ch'boy Taako's gonna show you some good good dishes for people who can't have dairy. I'm not one of them, but I know a few people who've managed to make themselves enemies of that delicious substance. I've got one as a special guest here today on 'Sizzle It Up!' who'll be acting as a taste tester for today's dishes. They're all also sentinel-safe, just like everything I cook, but still amazeballs, natch.”

Angus watched as Taako pulled Mr. Barry into view, the latter looking faintly uncomfortable to be on camera but far more relaxed than he had in Angus' hospital room. He was wearing a soft-looking long-sleeved shirt in a dark green and, from what little Angus could see, a pair of bluejeans, a stark contrast from the all-black ensemble he'd been wearing when Angus had first met him. He looked soft and huggable, something that suited him far better than stressed out.

Before the video could play on much further, there was a cry from outside that had Mr. Bodett sighing and then pausing the video to go sort out whatever was going on in the backyard. Angus waited until he was gone before scrolling down and clicking on the description to see if there was any sort of contact information for the show.

He eventually found a PO box address, and, after grabbing a spare bit of paper and a pen, wrote it down. With that done, Angus put everything back, made his sandwich, and then went to his room. He had a letter to write.

-/-

Taako flipped through the mail that had accumulated in his PO box over the past week or so, one eyebrow rising when he came across a particularly intriguingly addressed envelope. He set the rest of the small stack of envelopes down on the kitchen table and then got up, putting on his shoes before heading out of the apartment and down two flights of stairs. He let himself into Barry and Lup's apartment with the key he still had, giving the front door only the briefest of knocks to announce his presence.

Barry and Lup were in the living room on the couch, Lup laying on her back with her head pillowed on his lap as they watched a documentary on tropical birds. Their spirit guides were resting on the floor nearby, Valkyrie's head resting on Sildar's back while the seal happily dozed away. Taako saw Barry cock his head briefly before he paused the show and turned partially in his seat to look over the back of the couch.

“Hey, Taako. What brings you here?”

Taako held up the envelope. “This.” He handed the envelope over to Barry, who idly adjusted the set of his glasses before reading it aloud.

“'Mr. Taako and Mr. Barry, PO Box 134, Refuge, WA 99337'.” He looked up at Taako. “Have you read this yet?”

Taako shook his head. “Nah, I figured I'd let you do the honors. That looks like a kid's handwriting to me. Looks like you've got yourself a fan.”

Barry laughed before turning the envelope over and opening it, Lup sitting up with an intrigued look on her face. He drew the neatly folded piece of notebook paper out of the envelope and then, after unfolding it, started to read the letter aloud.

“ _Dear Mr. Taako and Mr. Barry,_

_My name is Angus McDonald. I saw your show today, Mr. Taako, and it was the episode about dairy-free dishes. I only got the the part where Mr. Barry was introduced when I knew I had to write you immediately. You see, I've actually met Mr. Barry before, but he probably doesn't remember me, which is totally fine._

_He helped me out of a tough situation a month ago. To be honest, he saved my life, and I never really got to say thank you except for a brief conversation. I was hoping that maybe he would like to write me back or maybe even visit if he's ever in the area. I don't know how often he gets out to Montana, so maybe writing would be best. I'm in a group foster home for sentinels and guides right now, and it's okay. They have people who come and teach us how to make our shields and use our abilities and so on every so often._

_Anyways, if you could show this to Mr. Barry (and Ms. Lup and Mr. Kravitz if you know them too), I would really appreciate it. I've included the phone number and address of the home if any of them want to contact me. Thank you for passing this along to them._

_Sincerely,_

_Angus McDonald._ ”

Barry lowered the letter, a stunned expression on his face.

“Huh. He... He wrote to me, to us. Sort of,” he said finally.

“And he wants you to write back,” Lup pointed out. Taako grinned before he nudged Barry in the shoulder.

“See? Doing that video was a good idea.”

“Yeah, I guess, but...” Barry frowned, looking down at the letter again. “Should... do you think I should write back?”

“Hell yeah,” Taako said, “even if it's just to say hi and thanks for the letter. Kids love that shit.”

“I'm not-- Taako, I'm not going to write back just to pander to him.” Barry folded the letter up and tucked it back in the envelope. “I'll talk with Kravitz and then see if it's okay. If I get the go-ahead, I'll send my own letter.”

Taako rolled his eyes and then pushed away from the couch. “Yeah, yeah, nerdlord, whatever.” He ruffled Lup's hair and then headed for the door. “See you two later.”

When he was gone, Barry leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. Lup placed a hand on his thigh and squeezed gently.

“You okay?”

“You mean besides wanting to go to Montana right this minute and get him out of that group home?” Barry asked with a rough laugh. “I'm not sure, to be honest. You think I'll be allowed to contact him?”

“Can't hurt to ask,” Lup said with a shrug. “At the worst, they'll say no.”

Barry opened his eyes and then nodded. “Yeah, alright.” He straightened up and then started up the documentary again, though he couldn't keep his thoughts off of the letter that sat innocently nearby.

-/-

Angus honestly wasn't expecting a reply to his letter, especially not for one to come so quickly. He was surprised when Mr. Bodett knocked on his door and told him that he had mail. Angus took the letter with a hurried thanks and then locked himself in his room to read it, forcing himself not to rip open the envelope too harshly in his excitement. He settled himself on his bed and then began to read, his fingers trembling slightly.

_Dear Angus,_

_First and foremost, I'm glad you're doing okay and are in a safe place for now. I've been worried about you ever since we had to leave Montana. Second, your letter was totally unexpected but very much welcomed. I'm glad we were able to reconnect, even if it was only because you saw me on Taako's show. You can just call me Barry, by the way; no need for the 'Mr'. I'm not **that** formal._

_I know we didn't really get to talk about a lot of things while you were recovering, especially since I and the others had to leave so soon after we made sure you were settled and being taken care of. That's kind of how my job goes, unfortunately. You probably don't really want to hear about that, so I'll just say it's a pretty busy one and leave it at that._

_I don't know if you want to keep sending letters back and forth, but if you do, maybe we can get to know one another better? I like reading, for example-- Taako's fond of calling me whatever variation of 'nerd' he can come up with at any given time, but he's as much a nerd as I am, so I don't really mind –especially books about ancient cultures and archaeology. What kinds of books do you like reading, if any?_

_I'll leave it there for now. Lup and Kravitz both say hi, by the way._

_Stay safe, okay? And write back soon if you want. Feel free to use the same PO box address as before._

_Sincerely,_

_Barry_

Angus read it over several times before grinning to himself, unable to resist bouncing a little on his bed while seated. Barry had written back and was actually interested in what he liked, and had treated him like an adult and not a kid. Even with how intelligent he was, Angus still had adults treating him like he was far younger than he actually was. He was ten for goodness sakes, not five!

He got up from his bed and went over to his desk, intent on writing his reply right then and there. Over the next six or so weeks, the two of them exchanged enough letters that Angus had to buy several sheets of stamps and a box of envelopes so he didn't continually use Mr. Bodett's supply. Angus felt like he had a friend in Barry, even if it was a rather odd friendship given their age difference, how they'd met, and the fact that they were mainly conversing in letters.

Angus even showed the SGOC-mandated therapist some of the letters, eagerly chatting with him about some of the things he and Barry had discussed and were currently talking about. The therapist had been hesitant about allowing the letters to continue, particularly when Angus couldn't tell him what Barry did for a living or where he lived (after all, anyone could get easily get a PO box), but hadn't told him to stop writing so as long as the letters stayed merely conversational.

“So, Angus,” he said at one of their sessions, a germ of an idea settling in his mind, “what would you do if you and Barry could talk face to face? Like over a video chat, for example?”

Angus positively lit up at that. “That would be amazing, Dr. Bradson,” he replied. “I don't know when that could happen, but I certainly wouldn't mind!”

“If I could make it happen, it would have to be supervised, and only if Barry is able and willing to do it,” Dr. Bradson warned. Angus nodded, unable to keep his eager expression off his face.

“I could write him and see if he wants to do it,” he said.

“I'll give you my email and phone number to send along with your letter, and once we've reached an agreement, I'll let you know,” Dr. Bradson said. “Now, how are your senses doing? I know you were having some trouble with your hearing last time we spoke...”

By the time their next session rolled around, Barry had reached out to Dr. Bradson and arranged for them to do a video chat during that time, though he had agreed to keep it a surprise from Angus. The look on his face when he saw Barry on the other end of the video call was definitely worth the work it took to get everything arranged and coordinated.

“Barry!” Angus said happily. His eyes widened when he saw Lup come into the frame as well, leaning on Barry's shoulder in order to be seen. “Miss Lup!”

Lup laughed. “You can just call me Lup, kiddo,” she told him. “No need for formalities.”

“Definitely not,” Barry agreed. He nodded to Dr. Bradson in greeting. “Thanks for arranging all of this, Brad.”

“No problem,” Dr. Bradson said, waving off the thanks. “I'm just glad you could make it, though I wasn't expecting your guide as well.”

“Yeah, well, when I told Lup about this, she couldn't resist joining in.” Barry shot Lup such a fond smile that Angus swore he could feel the love through the screen. “If that's, uh, okay with you, of course.”

Dr. Bradson shrugged. “It's fine with me if Angus is alright with it.”

“Of course!”

Angus was quite confused as to why he wouldn't want to talk to both of them, but kept that to himself as he started talking about the newest Caleb Cleveland book he'd gotten, eager to share his enthusiasm with Barry and Lup. He loved how they didn't dismiss him or change the topic, unlike some of the other adults he'd encountered before. The conversation flowed from books to movies to how Angus was doing in school and what he would be doing for the upcoming summer break.

Brad watched the three of them interact, sitting back and simply observing for the time being. He couldn't help but note how relaxed Angus was when talking with Barry and Lup, a rarity for the young boy. Angus tended to be withdrawn around new people, an understandable reaction given what he'd been through. Angus had told Brad some of what had happened with him and how operatives of the Hunger had snatched him shortly after his grandfather's funeral, taking him off the street while he'd been on his way home from school.

Social Services had not yet been able to get in touch with Angus' still-living relatives-- an aunt and uncle --which was rather unsurprising given their tendency to jet off to remote exotic places on a whim. Angus' grandfather had owned a very successful railroad company that he'd portioned out to his children, and since Angus' parents had died three years prior in a car accident, that share would go to him as per his grandfather's will. At the moment, the funds were being held in a trust that he couldn't touch until he was eighteen.

Neither of his relatives were a sentinel or guide, but as they were his only living family, they were likely the best choices for guardians for him at the moment. A decision would be made once they were able to be contacted, but for now, Angus would be staying at the group home. Brad tuned back into the conversation, not wanting to miss anything.

“I wish you could visit,” Angus was saying, a wistful tone to his voice.

“Same, Angus, but I don't know if they'd allow that,” Barry replied with a lopsided smile. “But we'll keep doing letters and video chats, alright?”

Angus nodded, though he couldn't keep the slight pout off his face. He fiddled with the hem of his shirt before stopping himself. “Yeah, okay,” he agreed.

They finished the video chat about a half hour later, with Barry ending the chat on their end. He sat back in his chair, rubbing at his jaw with one hand. Lup gave him a knowing look.

“You want to go see him again, don't you?” she asked, placing a hand on his arm. Barry laughed quietly.

“Yeah,” I really do,” he said. “Am I that obvious?”

“Just a bit, babe.” Lup leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “It's alright, I want to see him in person too. He's a good kid.”

“Yeah, and he deserves more than being stuck in a group home until his relatives come get him. It's been over two months since we rescued him and they still haven't come to claim him,” Barry said, a faint growl rumbling in his chest. Lup squeezed his arm and then nodded.

“People can be assholes, and that seems to rise exponentially with how much money they have,” Lup said. “I mean, not _every_ rich person is an asshole. Look at Lucretia.”

Barry snorted softly. “True,” he agreed. He shook his head. “Still, it's not exactly making me feel great about how things will go with them if they're not going to be around for him now.”

“We'll keep in touch with him as much as we can,” Lup promised. She moved her hand from his arm to his hand, intertwining their fingers and then squeezing. “So... What do you think his spirit guide is? He says he hasn't seen it yet, right?”

“Right,” Barry confirmed. “God, for him...” He hummed thoughtfully as he tried to figure out what Angus' spirit guide might be. “Hm. Not sure. A bloodhound, maybe, or some kind of bird?”

“A bloodhound?” Lup gave him an amused look. “Why a bloodhound?”

Barry smiled sheepishly. “He likes mysteries,” he said with a shrug. “I'll probably be wrong, but that's okay.”

Lup grinned. “We could bet on it.”

“A bet? Really?”

“Why not?” Lup asked with a shrug. “We don't have to bet money on it. We could bet... I don't know, chores or something similar.”

Barry hummed, a thoughtful look on his face. “Yeah, alright. What do you want to put your money on, a specific kind of spirit guide or just a general category like a dog or cat?”

“General category, I think,” Lup said after a moment's thought. “It'll be a lot easier than having to worry about specifics, because at least then one of us will be likely to win.”

“True. Alright, I'll go with... a bird,” Barry said. “What about you?”

“Cat,” Lup said immediately. “We should ask the others if they want to get in on it.”

Barry held up his free hand. “We should probably figure out what we're betting before we do that,” he said. Lup laughed.

“Yeah, probably. Wouldn't want to have the prize be something sex-related and then have someone besides one of us win,” she agreed. “If we do open it up to them, we'll have to drop the sex.”

“Just for that, though.”

That earned a laugh and a kiss for him, both of which Barry gladly accepted.

“Oh definitely, babe,” Lup agreed. “I'm not giving up having fun with you like that, not by a long shot.”

“Alright then, maybe the loser has to make dinner for the winner?” Barry suggested. “If we open up the betting to the others, that is.”

“Assuming they can actually cook,” Lup said dryly. “Maybe buying a drink or dinner at Ren's would be better?”

“Oh, I like the dinner at Ren's idea,” Barry said, perking up at that. He paused. “Though... Do you think the others would really care about Angus' spirit guide? I mean, they don't really know him.”

“Are you kidding? Both Magnus and Merle will bet on anything, especially if there's food involved, and Taako would love it,” Lup said, nudging him with her shoulder. “Hell yeah, Bear. Let's open it up to everyone. Besides, it's been a while since we've had a group bet on something, and I know that they'd love Angus as much as you if they ever met him.”

“God, can you imagine him meeting Magnus?” Barry asked with a grin. “You know he'd immediately adopt Angus if he could.”

Lup nodded. “True, but I think Julia might have something to say about it. I don't know if they'd be able to handle a kid and two dogs.”

Barry hummed, leaning back in his chair. “I suppose not. I--” He laughed roughly. “If I had the chance...”

Lup squeezed his hand. “I know,” she said quietly. “He's got family, though, even if they aren't paying attention to him right now.”

“They should be,” Barry huffed. “He's a great kid.”

“I'm not debating that, trust me,” Lup said. She got to her feet, tugging on his hand. “C'mon, let's go get dinner. I'm starting to get hungry, and I know you are too.”

Barry got to his feet, keeping hold of her hand as he stood. “Alright, sure. I could eat.”

Lup stole a kiss before the two of them went to the kitchen, intent on soothing their rumbling stomachs and having a good time together. Barry's thoughts were still on Angus, however, and he hoped that things would turn out for the better for him soon.


	7. Chapter Seven

Angus' aunt and uncle eventually returned from their overseas trip a few weeks later, and upon the McDonald family lawyers finally contacting them, retrieved him from the group home. They brought him back to their sprawling home on the outskirts of Eugene, Oregon. It was... nice, he supposed, with a very open plan and modernistic design, but it felt rather cold and lifeless to him all the same. It didn't feel like a _home_. Even the group home had felt more lived-in than Angus' relatives' house.

He sat in the room he'd been given- a guest room if he had any guess, though it was possible he would be given one of his own in time -reading over the last letter Barry and Lup had sent him. The paper was well-worn and some of the ink faded from the constant folding and unfolding Angus had been doing.

Angus set the letter aside after rereading it for the umpteenth time and put it away in the small box he kept it and the others in. He got up, figuring he might as well investigate his new home. Angus left his bedroom, his sock-clad feet nearly silent against the hardwood floors. The house was spotlessly clean, though Angus could tell right away that the cleaners didn't use sentinel-safe products or detergents.

That made him pause. Did his relatives even know that he was a sentinel? Had the lawyers told them, or was it something they were hoping he would grow out of eventually? Angus didn't know, and that lack of knowledge worried him.. He made a note to ask the next time he saw his aunt or uncle and then kept exploring, making a mental map of the building as he went.

Angus hadn't been told that he couldn't go anywhere, so he wandered as he liked, poking his head into the various rooms that weren't locked. He found a small library/study, assorted bedrooms, a large living room, and a separate media/entertainment room, as well as a kitchen and garage. As he went, Angus swore he could see a flicker of shimmering light out of the corner of his eye, making him wonder if his spirit guide was finally beginning to manifest. The books he'd read on it all said that for sentinels and guides who came into their abilities before puberty, their spirit guides tended to first manifest within a year of them coming online, faster if the reason they'd come online was due to trauma.

Angus wondered what his spirit guide would be and hoped a little that it would be something interesting. Not that he had anything against the more common canines or felines that a lot of his fellow sentinels had, of course, but he'd never really felt like much of a cat or dog person, and a spirit guide was suppose to reflect their person's personality as a whole, or so most popular media said. He wasn't sure he believed it, to be honest-- he'd never equate Barry with a seal, after all, and yet Sildar had chosen to partner with him –but the thought still lingered.

He eventually found his relatives in a secondary living room, his aunt reading a book and his uncle doing something on a computer tablet. His aunt looked up from her book, reaching out and nudging her husband.

“Alex,” she murmured. He glanced up and then lowered his tablet.

“Hey, uh, kiddo,” he said. Angus held his tongue at the slightly patronizing tone that adults who weren't used to interacting with children, especially ones able to actively talk and express themselves, usually took. He _hated_ being talked down to, but didn't say anything since he was willing to forgive his uncle for the time being.

“Hello, sir,” Angus replied, falling back on the good manners his grandfather had instilled in him.

“Oh, you don't have to call me sir. Just call me Uncle Alex.”

“And you can call me Aunt Beverly.”

“I'll do my best,” Angus promised.

“Been settling in well?” Alex asked. Angus nodded.

“As much as I can,” Angus replied. “I did want to ask you something, though.”

“Go right ahead,” Beverly encouraged.

“Would it be possible to use sentinel-safe cleaning products and detergents?” Angus requested. “I, uh, I'm a sentinel, and I--”

He paused when his uncle let out a light laugh. “Oh, kiddo, that's silly. You're not old enough to be a sentinel. Besides, you're a _McDonald_. There haven't been sentinels or guides in our family for ages. Of course, you could get it from your _mother's_ side, but she wasn't exactly someone of our... pedigree.” He reached out and ruffled Angus' hair. “I'm sure that whoever told you that was just being nice.”

Angus blinked, surprised at the outright denial. His heart sank as his aunt nodded in agreement.

“He right, you know. You don't have to worry about stuff like that,” Beverly said. “Anyways, if you were a sentinel, they would've told us. I'm sure we can find a detergent that'll be better for you, but we'll keep everything else the same.” She hummed. “Oh, I nearly forgot. Your uncle and I will be leaving on a business trip in a few days. We've hired a caretaker for you. It'll only be for a week or so, but we can't reschedule, unfortunately. They'll keep an eye on you if you need anything.”

“Oh. Um, sure,” Angus replied. Maybe the caretaker would be more willing to listen to him and not make thinly veiled allusions to how his mother was lesser because she hadn't been born rich or white. His parents had met at a technology conference in Kenya, his mother being a native of that country who had taken a shine to and then fallen in love with the sweet and intelligent man who became Angus' father. They'd married two years before Angus had been born, and had by all accounts been quite happy with one another before they'd died in the car accident that had taken them away from him.

“The caretaker will be here later today to meet you,” Beverly continued on. “I think you'll like her. She comes very highly rated.”

Angus nodded, his fingers idly playing with the hem of his shirt. “Alright. I'll, uh, I'll be in my room.”

“Sure thing, sweetie.”

Angus turned and left the room, hurrying through the halls and then locking himself in his room. He sat on his bed, running his fingers through his hair. Right. He'd just have to figure out how to work around his aunt and uncle. Hm. He'd have to possibly talk to the cleaning people, as well as see if his caretaker-- such a _lovely_ term for 'babysitter' or 'nanny' –would be willing to help him convince his relatives that he wasn't, in fact, lying to their faces or trying to get attention.

If that failed, he supposed he could always either buy his own cleaning products somehow or, if _that_ didn't work, go to the local branch of the Sentinel-Guide Center and see if they had any advice. That was going to be a last resort, though, as the Centers weren't well known for providing as competent care as most sentinels and guides would like due to the rather hands-off approach most took. If nothing else, Angus supposed he could get his medical ID bracelet. It was supposed to have come to him at the group home, but the bureaucracy of the SGOC moved slower than molasses in January, so he hadn't gotten it yet.

Angus flopped back on his bed, closing his eyes with a sigh. God, this sucked. He'd honestly rather be back in the group home where he wasn't ignored or had his concerns outright brushed off. Angus stirred after a few minutes when he felt an odd tickling sensation on his arm, which he'd draped over his face. Opening his eyes, he saw something that made him grin broadly, his problems momentarily forgotten.

“Hello,” he said, sitting up as the giant cuttlefish drifted back in the air. It was a little under two feet long and was currently a beautiful dusty purple at the moment. “Oh, wow! You're _gorgeous_.”

The cuttlefish waved one of its longer tentacles idly. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice soft but strong nonetheless. “It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Angus. I am Aletheia, but you can just call me Theia if you want.”

“Aletheia? Isn't that the Greek goddess of truth?” Angus asked, idly adjusting his glasses.

“It may be, but it fits me,” Aletheia replied, her skin turning a pale blue. She gently poked him in the cheek with her tentacle. “Still, I'm here now, so you're not alone.”

Angus smiled weakly at that. “Thanks. That's...” He sighed softly. “That's actually really nice to hear. I just wish...”

“Hmm? Go on,” Aletheia urged.

“It's stupid, but... I kind of wish that I could've gone to Barry and Lup's,” Angus said. “Not that I'm not grateful for my aunt and uncle for taking me in, but they don't even believe I'm a sentinel! And I... I don't know what to do with that.”

“We'll figure it out,” Aletheia promised. Angus sighed before flopping back onto his bed and staring up at the ceiling.

“I hope you're right.”

-/-

Carey rang the doorbell of the large McDonald house before moving back, unable to keep a small bounce out of her step as she did so. She was excited to be starting her new job, especially since her old one had ended rather abruptly when the family she'd been working for had to move overseas after the mother had been transferred to a different branch of her company. Carey's wife, Killian, had been fine with her not working for a little while as her own job was very steady, but Carey didn't like being idle, especially when she had the ability to find a new job so quickly. That was one of the benefits of having such a good reputation in her field, as well as stellar references.

She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, quickly putting on a pleasant smile when she heard footsteps coming closer on the other side of the door. The door was opened by a man dressed in clothes that likely cost more than Carey's monthly rent, but she was well versed in keeping her mouth shut about that kind of thing.

“Ah, Ms. Fangbattle. Good afternoon,” he said, giving her a short nod in greeting before stepping back to let her in. “Come on in. I'm Alexander McDonald.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Carey replied as she joined him inside. Mr. McDonald led her further into the house, giving her a bit of a tour before taking her upstairs. He knocked on a specific door before waiting.

“Angus? Will you come out of there? I have someone I want you to meet.”

There was a muted thump of small feet on the other side of the door, followed by a few footsteps and then the muted _snick_ of the door unlocking. Carey couldn't help but smile when she saw the adorable ten year old on the other side. He looked up at the two of them, glancing at Carey curiously before focusing on his uncle again.

Alexander gestured at Carey. “This is Carey Fangbattle, your new caretaker,” he said. “Ms. Fangbattle comes highly recommended. She'll make sure you're taken care of while your aunt and I are on our trip.”

Angus nodded. Carey noticed that there was a faint rash starting to peek out from under his shirt collar, and made a mental note to see if that was new or something he was getting over. She blinked a little when Angus held out his hand for her to shake but quickly recovered, taking his hand in hers and shaking it carefully.

“It's nice to meet you,” Angus said as he let go. Carey smiled in response.

“Same. You can just call me Carey if you want,” she said, going down to one knee so they were on more of a level with one another. Angus glanced at his uncle before looking at her again. Alexander looked between the two of them, nodded, and then left after ruffling Angus' hair. The faintest scowl flashed across Angus' face at the motion but he quickly hid it, hesitating before inviting Carey into his room.

Carey left the door half open, not wanting Angus to feel like he was trapped with her. The room was rather blandly decorated, nothing like what she'd have expected a ten year old boy to have. She took a seat on a wooden chair near a small desk, and then folded her hands in her lap. Angus sat down on his bed, folding his legs neatly in a tailor's seat.

“So... What kinds of things do you like to do?” Carey asked, trying to come up with something that would be easy to talk about without seeming to be patronizing.

“I like reading,” Angus said with a shrug. “The _Caleb Cleveland: Kid Cop_ series is one of my favorites.” He itched at the rash on his neck absently before letting his hand drop.

“Cool. Hey, uh, you okay there?” Carey asked, gesturing at his neck. Angus sighed softly.

“I'm pretty sure it's the detergent.” He glanced at the half-open door, as if expecting to see someone lurking behind it and eavesdropping. “I'm, uh, I'm a sentinel.”

Carey perked up at that. “Really?”

Angus nodded. “Yeah, but my aunt and uncle... They don't exactly believe me.”

Carey frowned. “Really?”

“Yeah! And I'm not lying or anything like that. Here, look. Aletheia!”

Carey usually prided herself on her calm demeanor, but she would challenge anyone except the most chill yoga guru to not react in some way when a giant cuttlefish appeared out of thin air, floating there near Angus' head.

“Whoa,” she said, her eyes wide. Her mind raced as she rapidly reworked her usual tactics for childcare. It had been some time since she'd had to look after a child with a sentinel's gifts, and she knew Angus would need some careful handling. He wasn't an invalid, of course, but he wasn't exactly the normal rough-and-tumble kind of kid she was used to either.

“Very cool,” Carey added when she saw the apprehension lingering in Angus' eyes. “She's gorgeous. Um... She is a she, right?”

“Yes, I am,” Aletheia said, highly amused. “The name is a bit of a giveaway.”

“You'd be surprised how many times I've gotten called 'Mr. Fangbattle' in emails when people don't know my sex,” Carey said dryly, earning a laugh from both Angus and Aletheia. She liked Angus' laugh and made a mental promise to both him and herself that she would encourage him to do it as often as she could. She and Angus fell into a light conversation, Aletheia occasionally adding in her own opinion from her position on the bed next to Angus

The spirit guide vanished when there was a knock at the door, though if she merely started blending in with the blankets or had gone into the psionic plane, Carey didn't know. Beverly opened the door fully, a small smile on her face.

“I hope everything's going well for you two,” she said. “Ms. Fangbattle, there's some paperwork that you need to sign in regards to legal issues for the job and so on. Alexander is waiting for you in his office. It's just down the hall and then to the left.”

Carey got up with a nod, putting the chair back in its place. “I'll see you later, Angus.”

“Sure thing, Ms. Carey!” Angus said happily. Carey laughed quietly and then left the room, following Beverly's directions to Alexander's office. She knocked on the office door, waiting until Alexander had told her to come in before she entered. Alexander was sitting at a desk, a small stack of paperwork waiting for Carey to read and then sign.

“Oh, good timing,” Alexander said, gesturing for Carey to take a seat across from him. She did so, waiting patiently as he shuffled through the papers and then placed them in front of her to read and then sign once she was done. He explained each form as they went through them, but Carey still read through them thoroughly just in case.

“And this one,” Alexander said as he placed the last form in front of her, “is the documentation that allows you to act as Angus' healthcare proxy if I or Beverly aren't available. Since we travel so often for work, it only makes sense for you to have the ability to make decisions for him until we can get there.”

Carey's eyebrows rose at that. It wasn't the first time she'd been given some sort of limited kind of authority over her charges' health, but she'd never had that much power over someone. She picked up the form and then carefully read over it, not wanting to miss a thing before she signed neatly at the end. Alexander gathered all the forms up and then put them in a neat stack.

“I'll get you copies of all of these for your own records, and then give the originals to our lawyers for safe keeping,” Alexander told her as he set the papers aside. “Will you need a room here?”

Carey shook her head. “No, sir,” she replied. “I have an apartment in town about ten minutes away.”

“Perfect. That'll make things easier, but if you do need to spend the night, feel free to take one of the guest rooms.” Alexander got to his feet and then held out his hand for her to shake. Carey stood as well and then shook his hand, feeling optimistic about the job. If nothing else, Angus seemed to be a nice enough kid and independent enough that she wouldn't have to worry about him too much.

Alexander and Beverly left for their trip two days later, giving Angus and Carey a perfunctory goodbye before heading out to the airport. Angus and Carey settled in for the next week. About a day in, Carey made sure he had everything he needed for his upcoming new year at school since it was halfway through August. Angus was cautiously optimistic about starting over, but he was still worried about going to a public school with his burgeoning gifts.

He told her about Barry, Lup, and Kravitz, and how they had saved him from the Hunger. He also showed her the letters that Barry had sent him, including the one that had Barry's contact information on it. Carey could tell how important they were to Angus, and made sure to get him more envelopes, paper, and stamps so he could keep writing. She also programmed Barry's contact information into her phone just in case, figuring that if nothing else, Angus would like to talk to him on occasion.

Two days before his relatives were due to come back, Angus and Carey went to a park so the both of them could enjoy the nice weather and get some fresh air. Carey watched Angus play on some of the playground equipment, keeping a close eye on him as he cautiously interacted with the other kids who were there. She knew he was hesitant about being around other kids without the proper training, but she had plans to get him to the local Sentinel-Guide center either later that day or the next to get his medical alert bracelet and his official diagnosis to show his relatives when they got back.

Carey frowned when she saw Angus stop in the middle of climbing around on one of the play structures and then stare off into space, thankfully doing so on a flat platform not too high off the ground. He was unnaturally still, but the other kids just flowed around him without much care. She hurried over to him, craning her head to look up at him to make sure he was doing okay.

“Angus?” Carey's frown deepened when he didn't respond. She climbed up onto the play structure and then gently put a hand on his shoulder to see if he'd just gotten distracted by something off in the distance. He stayed unresponsive, making Carey swear softly under her breath.

“Shit, a zone out,” she muttered. She ran a hand over her face and then carefully scooped Angus up in her arms, carrying him bridal-style back to their car. Carey worried her bottom lip as she laid Angus down on the back seat. She wasn't sure what to do with him. Should she take him to the hospital or to the nearest Sentinel-Guide center?

Carey sighed sharply, used the middle lap belt to secure Angus as much as she could, and then got into the driver's seat. She decided to go to the nearest Sentinel-Guide center, figuring that they would likely have either access to facilities that would help Angus or be able to get him somewhere that could. Carey made sure to drive as quickly as she could without running the risk of getting a ticket once she had found the nearest center on her GPS.

When she reached the center, Carey carried Angus into its lobby, her heart sinking when she noticed that he wasn't doing any better even though she'd gotten him away from the playground and whatever had set him off. One of the center workers saw her rush in and hurried over, his eyes widening when he saw Angus and the state he was in.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I don't know. He was playing and then he suddenly stopped. I don't know what caused the zone,” Carey replied as the worker looked Angus over and then took him out of her arms.

“We'll look him over. What's his name?”

“Angus, Angus McDonald. I'm his caretaker.” Carey pulled a copy of the healthcare proxy paperwork out of her satchel (she'd taken to carrying copies of it and some of the other paperwork she had in her satchel when she and Angus left the house) and showed it to him. The worker called one of his associates over to help take care of the paperwork as he took Angus into a quiet and shielded room so he could get assessed by a medical professional.

Once the paperwork was done and Carey settled into a waiting room, she was left to her thoughts. God, she hoped Angus would be okay. She tried calling his aunt and uncle, but neither were answering their phones. She left messages for them and then texted Killian about what was going on. Her wife immediately offered to come join her, but Carey didn't want her to abandon her job right then, saying that she should come after she was done with work.

Carey hesitated before scrolling through her contacts and then selecting Barry's number, hoping like hell that he would be able to give her some advice on what to do, even if she was a stranger to him. She held her phone to her ear as the line rang, unable to keep from tapping her foot against the floor from nerves.

-/-

Barry was in the middle of making a sandwich for lunch when his phone rang. He hit the answer button and then tucked his phone between his ear and shoulder as he continued to make his lunch. Lup was sitting across from him at the counter bar, idly flipping through that day's newspaper. They'd moved from the apartment to a small two bedroom house two weeks prior, wanting more space than the apartment could afford them, and the counter bar was a nice addition, as was the shared office they now had.

“Hello?”

There was a pause on the other end before a voice Barry didn't recognize spoke, a faint nervous tremor in its words. “Is this, uh, is this Barry Bluejeans?”

Barry paused in his lunch-making and then set his sandwich makings down before taking hold of his phone properly. “This is he. Who's this?”

“My name's Carey Fangbattle. We've never met, but we do have someone in common: Angus McDonald. He's... I'm his caretaker right now.”

Barry frowned. “I thought he went to his aunt and uncle's.” That caused Lup to stop and then look up from her newspaper, her eyes widening.

“He did,” Carey assured him. “Um, I guess you could consider me his nanny, if you want to be technical? Anyways, that's not why I called you. He showed me your letters, which is where I got your number from. He's...” She sighed heavily, and Barry could hear the faint hint of gathering tears in her voice. “We were at the park and he went into a zone out. I don't know what caused it, but I've gotten him to a Sentinel-Guide center here in Eugene and they're looking him over, but I don't know what to do now. I was hoping you would have some advice?”

Barry paused and then rubbed at the back of his neck. “Well, shit,” he said. “Um, how long has he been in a zone?”

“About twenty minutes or so? Not very long,” Carey replied, sinking back in her chair. “Is that important? I haven't really cared for a lot of sentinel or guide children, so I'm--” She laughed roughly. “I'm more than a little out of my depth here, and his relatives are out of town on a business trip and--”

“Okay, first off, I need you to take a deep breath for me,” Barry said soothingly. “Angus is a strong, resilient kid. He's been through a lot worse than a zone out.”

“Y-yeah, he told me a little about that.” Carey ran a hand through her hair. “Still doesn't help much.”

“I understand that. Have they started to look him over?”

Carey nodded before realizing that Barry couldn't see her. “Yes. They said they'll have someone here soon to look at him. They've got him in an isolation room.”

“That's a good start,” Barry said as he went over to his laptop and started pulling up directions to Eugene. Five to six hours by car if traffic was good, or two by plane. Hm. That might be a better choice, if not more expensive. He didn't care, however, especially since it was for Angus. Lup looked over his shoulder, squeezing it gently in support. “Do you have anyone there who can come be with you?”

“My wife. She's going to come by after work,” Carey told him, taking in a few deep breaths and then letting them out slowly. “That's going to be a few hours from now, though.”

“Well, for now, I can stay on the phone with you,” Barry offered, showing Lup the plane tickets and then giving her an inquiring look. She shook her head and then grabbed her own phone, showing Barry that she was calling Director Corvo before stepping away.

“That... That would be amazing,” Carey said, brushing away tears from her cheeks. Barry stayed true to his word and remained on the phone until he had to hang up after Lup returned an hour or so later.

“We've got permission from the Director to use one of the company jets,” she said with a terse smile. “It'll be a bit faster than a commercial flight, at any rate.”

“Is Kravitz coming with us?” Barry asked. Lup shook her head.

“Not right now. Krav is off on a solo job,” she replied. “The jet will be ready in twenty minutes at the small airfield outside of town. She's working on arranging a room for us at the Center as well if we need it.”

“That'll give us enough time to throw together some bags. Good.” Barry got up and headed to the bedroom, gathering enough clothes to last at least a few days without needing to do laundry and then put them in a duffle bag. Lup followed after him, a small smile on her face as she got her own bag put together. They arrived at the airfield within a half hour, making sure to call their friends and family to let them know they were going to be out of state for a few days while on their way there.

The plane took off ten minutes after they got on board, arriving in Eugene two hours later. It was a further half hour before they were able to get to the correct center, and by that time, Killian had joined Carey in the waiting room. Barry exchanged glances with Lup and then went over to the two women, clearing his throat gently.

“Hi. Are you Carey?”

Carey looked up from where she was leaning against Killian, her eyes slightly bloodshot. “Y-yeah.” Her eyes widened. “Wait, Barry?”

Barry nodded, a small smile curling his lips. “That's me. This is Lup, my guide.” He couldn't help but laugh quietly when he saw the faintly confused look pass over her face before Carey got her expression under control. “Don't worry, I get that a lot. I know I don't look like a stereotypical sentinel.”

Carey blushed faintly. “Sorry.”

Barry waved off the apology. “Don't worry about it. Have you heard anything about Angus?”

Carey shook her head as Lup brought over two more chairs so they could sit down as well. “Nothing yet. It's been several hours and they haven't said anything yet.”

Barry sighed as he sat down, running his hands over his jean-clad legs. “I suppose no news is good news right now, but I can understand the frustration.”

“We'd still like to know,” Killian grumbled as Carey readjusted her position so that she was more comfortable.

“Oh, right there with you,” Lup said. “You two want anything? Coffee? Food?”

“I don't think I could eat anything right now,” Carey said with a sigh. “Thanks, though.”

“No problem. We'll be here if you need anything,” Lup told her. “So, talk to me about Angus. How long've you known him?”

Carey smiled slightly and then started talking, feeling better the longer they spoke. The small waiting room slowly filled with hope and laughter, the blossoming emotions filtering out through the center.

-/-

Angus blinked sluggishly as he woke, his body feeling lethargic and sore. He stirred slowly, staring up at the ceiling that wasn't familiar to him at all. He carefully pushed himself up to a seated position, surprised by the tug of an IV in the back of his left hand. A hospital? Why would he be in a hospital? The last thing he remembered was being at a playground and having fun with other kids.

His breathing and heart rate increased when he remembered the last time he'd been in an unknown medical facility, people had been experimenting on him. Angus looked around the room, wincing at the soreness in his neck from being still for a long period of time. He saw Carey curled up on a small couch and leaning against a woman he assumed was her wife, Killian, and, much to his surprise, Barry and Lup, who were on a roll-away cot to his right, Lup being held in Barry's arms with his nose buried in her hair.

Angus smiled to himself, feeling touched that they would be there for him. His panic started to ebb away as he breathed in their surprisingly calming scents and listened to their slumber-slow heartbeats, using them to anchor himself to the here and now. He paused, his brain catching up with the reality of the situation.

Wait a minute. Barry and Lup were here? They lived at least six hours away. Had they driven there just for him? That... That blew his mind, and Angus honestly wasn't sure what to do with that. He slumped back against his pillows, his groggy mind attempting to race but running into major speed bumps along the way.

Before Angus could work himself into a further spiral of confusion and faint guilt, Lup woke up, lifting her head from the pillow of Barry's arm to check on him. She smiled when she saw that he was awake before nudging Barry. He startled awake, making a muffled grunt before his brain caught up with what was going on.

“Babe, Angus is awake,” Lup murmured. Barry immediately focused on Angus, a brilliant grin on his face.

“Angus! Hey, bud. How're you feeling?” he asked quietly, sitting up on the cot. Lup did the same, settling in beside him.

“Um... Kinda sore?” Angus said with an aborted shrug. He hissed softly at the burn in his muscles. “How... What happened?”

“You zoned, and pretty hard,” Barry replied. “Do you remember what caught your attention?”

Angus frowned and then tried to think back, his fuzzy brain not helping much. “Um... There was a bird, I think? Or a siren? It was high pitched and repetitive.”

“I tend to get trapped by visual things,” Barry said with a wry smile. “I once zoned on the frost on a grocery freezer door.”

“What, really?” Lup asked. She nudged him gently. “You haven't told me about that.”

Barry let out a huff of laughter. “Yeah, that's how I first met Taako, actually. He was the one who broke me out of the zone. That was one of the first days I was in Refuge. He was looking for frozen peas for you.”

Lup grinned. “He never said anything when he came back. Just complained about the peas not being fresh.”

Barry shook his head before refocusing on Angus. “Anyways, don't feel bad about zoning. It's something that happens to every sentinel.”

“Alright.” Angus looked around for something else to talk about and then perked up. “I finally met my spirit guide!”

“Yeah? Congratulations,” Lup said. “So, what are they?”

“A cuttlefish. Specifically, _Sepia apama_ , or the Australian giant cuttlefish. Her name's Aletheia.”

“A cuttlefish?”

Barry and Lup exchanged surprised looks before Lup grinned.

“So... Who won?”

Barry rubbed at his chin as he thought. “Um... Hm. Y'know, I'm not sure. We'd have to check the list.”

“List?”

Barry gave Angus a sheepish look. “We, uh, we may have bet dinner on what kind of spirit guide you would have, and then the others got in on it as well?”

Angus giggled at that, the noise finally waking Carey and Killian. Carey sat up groggily before fully straightening up when she saw that Angus was awake.

“Angus! Oh thank God, you're awake,” she said, getting to her feet. Angus could feel her concern from across the room, something that surprised him. Hm. He'd have to explore that more. His empathic skills weren't as good or as strong as a natural-born guide's, but he could still get flashes of emotions from people every so often. He was sure he could get better with more training and age, just like with his senses.

Carey stopped at the end of his bed, hesitating before reaching out and placing a hand lightly over one of his blanket-covered feet. “You gave me quite a scare,” she said, gently squeezing his foot. “You feeling better?”

“Sorry. I didn't meant to scare you, Ms. Carey,” Angus said, his shoulders slumping. “I didn't even realize what was going on.”

“Hey, don't beat yourself up about it,” Carey assured him. “It's all good.” She smiled wryly. “If nothing else, it's given the SGOC the kick in the pants it needed to get you your official diagnosis and your medical alert bracelet.”

She gestured at the stainless-steel bracelet that was now around Angus' right wrist. Angus looked down at it, a small smile curving his lips. “I guess so,” he said. “And it means my aunt and uncle can't keep--” He trailed off, wincing slightly.

“'Can't keep?'” Killian prompted gently, joining her wife at the end of Angus' bed.

Angus sighed softly. “They didn't believe me when I told them that I was a sentinel,” he said, looking down at his blankets. “They brushed it off and said that it was impossible.”

“Well, you're right, now they can't ignore it,” Lup said firmly. “Where are they, anyways?”

“A business trip.” Carey shook her head in annoyance. “They haven't called back yet, and I called them as soon as we got here to the Center.”

“How long has it been?” Angus asked.

“You were in a zone out for about four hours, but you came out of it when they brought you in here and then let us come see you,” Barry explained. “You woke up for about two minutes and then went to sleep properly after that.”

Angus laughed tiredly at that, rubbing at his eyes with his free hand. “Not going to apologize for that,” he murmured. Barry smiled.

“No need to,” he said gently. “Sleep, Angus. We'll be here when you wake up again.”

Angus smiled in response, yawning widely before settling more firmly back onto his pillows and then closing his eyes. He listened to the others talking quietly as he slowly fell asleep, finally feeling safe and secure.

-/-

Barry watched Angus fall asleep, keeping the conversation with the others light before gesturing for Carey to follow him out of the room. He led her down the hall until he was sure Angus couldn't hear them and then pulled her into an empty side room.

“His relatives haven't returned your call?” he asked quietly. Carey shook her head.

“Not yet,” she said, pulling out her phone and then checking it again. “Nothing. I've contacted the family lawyers and lodged a complaint with the SGOC just in case so at least _someone_ in authority cares, even if it's a little bit.”

Barry sighed, running a hand over his face. “I don't know what I can do, but I'll see regardless,” he said. “Thank you for looking after him. I know it's your job, but still.”

Carey smiled lopsidedly. “He's a good kid. Why they can't see that, I don't know, but I'm on his side for as long as he wants me to be.”

“Welcome to the club,” Barry said with a quiet laugh. “The membership is growing with every person that meets him.”

“Do we get cool jackets?”

“Unfortunately not, but we're working on them.” Barry sank down in a nearby chair. “Seriously, though, having more people on Angus' side is always welcome, so thank you.”

“No problem.” Carey took a seat next to him with a sigh. “Have they always been like this?”

“Hmm? Oh, his relatives? Um, I don't know,” Barry admitted. “He lived with his grandpa before this. They've had custody of him for all of...” He tipped his head back. “Less than two weeks, if that, and they've barely been in his life since then? Can't say it looks good for them, but I'm not a social services specialist or anything like that.”

Carey hummed in agreement. “Well, hopefully things will work out better for him soon,” she said.

Barry nodded. “Yeah, hopefully,” he agreed. They talked for a little while longer before returning to Angus' room. He settled in on the cot again, smiling a little when he saw that Valkyrie was laying beside Angus, the young boy's fingers curled loosely into her fur. Sildar was lounging on the floor in front of Angus' bed, with who Barry could only assume was Aletheia floating an inch or so over the floor near him. They were speaking quietly, though what they were talking about, Barry wasn't sure.

He knew he could probably find out, but he was fine with not knowing. He took a seat next to Lup, who hadn't moved from the cot. She leaned in against him, sliding her arm around his waist. He smiled to himself and then settled in to keep watch over Angus, not intending to move from his side unless absolutely necessary. Angus deserved nothing less, after all.


	8. Chapter Eight

Alexander was starting to get frustrated with how much trouble his nephew was causing him, and for the second time in as many weeks. At least the first time he and Beverly had managed to finish their vacation in the Philippines, but now they'd had to cut their business trip short because he'd somehow managed to land himself in the care of the local Sentinel-Guide Center. His irritation stayed with him throughout the flight back from Chicago and then the drive from the airport outside of Eugene to the Center. Beverly occasionally glanced at him but didn't say anything, as she was well aware of how her husband handled being interrupted when he was enjoying a good sulk.

The two of them got out of the car, the driver waiting until they were out and standing on the sidewalk in front of the Center before pulling away to find parking nearby. Alexander led the way in, going to the reception desk and then clearing his throat to get the attention of the young man sitting there. The receptionist looked up, pausing in what he'd been doing before focusing entirely on Alexander and Beverly.

“Welcome to the Eugene Sentinel-Guide Center,” he said pleasantly. “How can I help you?”

“We're here to pick up our nephew,” Alexander replied. “Can you tell me what room he's in? His name is Angus McDonald.”

The receptionist nodded. “Yes, I can, but I'll need to see your permanent picture IDs first, please.”

“What? Why?”

“It's a security measure, especially when minors are concerned.” The receptionist paused, clearly waiting for them to produce their ID cards. Alexander grumbled some more but did as requested, Beverly following suit. The receptionist checked their ID cards and then handed them back before typing something into the computer.

“Now,” he said as he continued to enter their information, “have you visited your nephew here before, or do you need the visitation rules explained?”

Alexander blinked. “Visitation rules? We're here to take him home, not visit him.”

“His attending physician has asked that you speak with him before you take your nephew home. His name is Doctor Gunner.” The receptionist printed two visitor's name tags and then handed them to Alexander and Beverly to put on. Alexander sighed before sticking it to his suit coat while Beverly had to put hers on her cardigan. Once they were appropriately tagged, the receptionist called for someone to escort them to Angus' room.

Alexander was rather surprised at the level of security, to be honest. He'd never thought the Centers to ever need it, because who would want to have anything to do with sentinels or guides like that? He conveniently ignored the attacks on the various IPRE campuses across the country, believing the predominant opinion of most media outlets that it had been not an attack on one of the largest employers of sentinels and guides second only to the military and private security firms, but rather a series of attacks done by one of the IPRE's rivals to them as a form of corporate sabotage. Sentinels and guides occupied the same second- or third-class area in Alexander's mind as most non-wealthy immigrants, those of non-traditional sexualities, and the other ephemera of human society, and he tended to ignore them as such, mainly treating them as background scenery and little else.

It was a bit of a shameful part of the history of the McDonald family in his opinion that they'd once had many sentinels and guides in their bloodline, but thankfully that had been weeded out with careful selection of spouses from the _right_ kind of families. It had been a pity when Alexander's brother had married so out of the norm for their family, even if their father had approved of the match. Alexander shook his head minutely. At least _he'd_ made a good match with Beverly, even if they'd yet to have any children of their own.

He was broken out of his thoughts when the Center worker who'd been acting as their tour guide brought them to Angus' room, the young woman knocking on the half-open door before pushing it open fully. Angus was sitting cross-legged on a hospital bed, though no IV or other medical apparatus were apparent besides a pulse monitor on his left index finger and a band-aid on the back of the same hand.

Alexander saw a a man speaking to Angus that he presumed to be the Doctor Gunner that the receptionist had talked about, though he had to say, he did _not_ approve of the man's casual wear. No white coat or professional scrub set to be found, just a short-sleeved polo shirt in a deep crimson and a pair of dark wash bluejeans matched with plain white tennis shoes. Hardly respectable.

Shoving his distaste aside for long enough to perform the basic routine of social interactions that would allow them to get Angus discharged, Alexander walked purposefully over to Gunner, holding out his hand in preparation to shake it. “Dr. Gunner. We were told you wanted to speak to us about Angus? I'm Alexander McDonald, his uncle, and this is my wife, Beverly.”

Gunner blinked at him behind half-rimmed glasses and then shook his head. “I'm not--” He let out a quiet huff of laughter. “I'm not Dr. Gunner, sorry. I am a doctor, but not that kind of doctor.”

That earned a soft giggle from Angus, one that Alexander ignored. “Then why are you in here?”

The other man sighed. “My name is Sentinel-Doctor Barry Bluejeans, and I'm here because Angus and I were talking about the classes he's excited for in this coming school year.”

“And who decided that you were allowed to do that?”

“That would be me, sir.”

Alexander turned to see Miss Fangbattle standing in the doorway. She looked faintly surprised to see him and Beverly there but recovered quickly. A good habit to have, Alexander thought. Pity she likely wouldn't be around to exhibit it more in the future.

“I see. And how did you and Mr.- Bluejeans, was it? -meet? A boyfriend of yours?”

“No!”

“God, no!”

Alexander raised an eyebrow at the dual denial. Suspicious. “Really?”

“Yes,” Barry said. “She's married and I'm happily taken. I was one of the people who rescued Angus when he was kidnapped.”

That earned a laugh from Beverly. “You mean when he ran away from home after my father-in-law passed away?” she asked, shaking her head. “I don't know what he told you, Mr. Bluejeans, but Angus has been known to stretch the truth. He thinks he's a sentinel, for one thing, and that's impossible.”

“Actually, I am, Aunt Beverly,” Angus piped up. “I've got an official diagnosis and everything.”

“That's nice, sweetie,” Beverly said idly, not really paying attention to him. “Mr. Bluejeans, you can go now. Miss Fangbattle... We'll be speaking later. Oh, before you go, have either of you seen a Doctor... What was it, honey?”

“Gunner, dear.”

“Yes, him.”

“Not recently, but I'm sure he'll be around soon.” Carey did her best not to grit her teeth or show her anger otherwise, but judging from Angus' glance at her, she wasn't doing the best job. She turned on her heel and left, Barry following her after he'd said a quick goodbye to Angus. Alexander watched them go, waiting until they were out of sight before focusing on the boy.

“You know,” he said with a heavy sigh, “you don't have to lie to us or to the doctors. We know you're not a sentinel, Angus, and it's not a good idea to lie about that kind of thing. Faking a medical condition isn't exactly seen as something a sane person would do, and you know how much we McDonalds pride ourselves on our reputations as sane and trustworthy people.”

Angus stared silently at him before shaking his head. “I'm _not_ lying,” he insisted.

“I'm sure you believe that, sweetheart,” Beverly said kindly. “We'll just have a chat with the doctor and see what he says.”

Angus stayed quiet after that, barely acknowledging Dr. Gunner's appearance when he finally came into the room, a rarity for him given how much he'd grown to like the friendly doctor over the short period of time they'd spent together.

“Ah, hello!” Dr. Gunner said cheerily to Beverly and Alexander. “You must be Angus' guardians. I'm Doctor Avi Gunner. It's a pleasure to meet you.”

“I wish we could say the same, doctor, but we need some things cleared up before it can truly be a pleasure. Is there somewhere we can talk in private?” Alexander requested. Avi nodded.

“Sure thing. My office isn't too far away from here. Angus, will you be alright if I steal your aunt and uncle for a short while?”

“Sure.”

Avi shot him a concerned look, surprised at the subdued response, but led Alexander and Beverly out of the room regardless and then down the hall to his private office. He flipped the switch that activated the top of the line white noise generators out of sheer habit as he entered the office and then went over to his desk, sitting down behind it. Alexander and Beverly took the two visitor's seats on the other side of the desk after Beverly shut the door behind her.

“So, what did you want to discuss?” Avi asked. “Angus is a very bright boy and I really think he'll go far in life now that we can get him the proper training for his abilities.”

“That's the thing. Angus isn't a sentinel.”

Avi stared at Beverly for a moment before shaking himself out of his surprised stupor and leaning back in his chair. “And who told you that, Mrs. McDonald? We've tested him quite thoroughly and Angus is a Level Five sentinel. That means all of his senses are heightened beyond a baseline human's, though which one will be the strongest will fluctuate depending on his age, his amount of training, and the situations he finds himself in. He'll be an asset to whatever field he goes into, though something tells me it'll likely be science- or criminology-based given his interests.”

Alexander waved off his explanation with a short, sharp gesture. “There hasn't been a sentinel or guide in the McDonald family for over three hundred years. It's a point of pride, actually.”

Avi folded his hands on his desk. “Well, we've found that the gene that controls whether or not someone has the potential for their gifts to activate is a recessive one. Both parents have to carry the gene for it to be possible for someone to be a sentinel or a guide. It might've just been chance that both his parents carried it. You might even carry it, sir, and your children could become sentinels or guides if your wife carries it as well.”

“Highly unlikely, as my family has never had any sentinels or guides in it,” Beverly said with a disdainful sniff. “Besides, we don't have children, and if there's even a possibility of them becoming a sentinel or guide, I'm not sure I want to chance that.”

“Is there a way to tell?” Alexander asked. “If either of us carry the gene?”

“I mean, yes, but the testing is expensive and is really only about sixty-five percent successful. There've been attempts to get that success rate up to a higher number, but that's the best we've gotten in the last five years.”

“That's better than nothing,” Alexander said. “In that vein, are there any medications or other therapies we can start Angus on so he's not affected by this any more than he has to be? Or better yet, to make it go away entirely?”

Avi's eyebrows rose at that. “Sir, it's a genetic condition,” he said, choosing his words carefully, “and not a harmful one either, not without proper training.. It'd be like asking if I could give you medicine to change your eye color. That's not how this works.”

“Nonsense. Medicine and science can do a lot of things, especially if enough money is thrown at it. You're going to sit there and tell me that nothing can be done to stop this now before it has a chance to settle in any further?”

Avi ran a hand over his mouth. “Mr. McDonald, trust me when I say that even if there were, it would likely be highly unethical and unprofessional for me to suggest them. Thankfully, I can say with certainty that there are not.” He sighed. “May I be blunt?”

“It hasn't stopped you so far,” Beverly said dryly. Avi smiled wryly.

“My husband tends to say the same thing. Anyways, the long and short of it is that Angus is going to live a long and hopefully happy life. Sentinels and guides live on average ten to fifteen years longer than a baseline human if they're not in actively dangerous jobs, and even then, they tend to heal faster from mild to moderate injuries. Not by much, mind you, but enough that there's a reason they're known for their stubbornness in battle and elsewhere where survival is key. My question for you is this, and I'm not expecting an answer right now, so think on it as long as you need to: What is it that is best for Angus, and what does that look like? You've got eight years with him before he's legally an adult. That's not a lot of time in the grand scheme of things. I don't think forcing him to be something he's not is in his best interest, but that's up to you and him to decide.”

“You're right,” Alexander said as he got to his feet, “it is. Now, can we get him discharged, and what sort of 'special care' is he going to need when he goes home?”

Avi held back a sigh and then stood as well. He grabbed a sheet of paper from a small pile on a side table and a pamphlet that he usually gave to parents of newly-online sentinels and guides, handing them both to Alexander.

“These will explain some good habits to get into when working with Angus, as well as a list of sentinel-safe cleaning products and laundry detergents,” he explained. “He can live a normal and happy life; he just needs to essentially watch out for allergens and make a conscious effort not to overextend himself.”

“Will he be able to go to public school?” Beverly asked.

“He can, but they'll have to be made aware of his status as a sentinel, and since he's underage, he'll have to have a conservator with him,” Avi said. “The SGOC maintains a list of conservators that are currently available. Their wages and living expenses are all covered by the SGOC, so all you need to provide is a room for them to sleep in if possible. If that's not able to be done, then the SGOC will find room and board for them within a quarter-mile radius of your home so they can get to Angus within a reasonable amount of time if he goes into a sensory zone out.”

“A what?”

“It's when one or more of a sentinel's senses hyper-focuses on something. That's what happened to bring Angus here in the first place,” Avi explained as he walked them to the door of his office. “There are suggestions in that brochure as to what you can do to help him if necessary. The biggest thing you should never do is try to shake him out of a zone or otherwise physically jar him during one. That will just cause more problems, and often bigger ones than what he began with.”

He held the door for them and then followed them out into the hall. “I'll go get the discharge paperwork. You're welcome to return to Angus' room or go out to the lobby, whichever you prefer.”

“We'll be in his room,” Beverly said. She nodded briefly to him, turned on her heel, and then started walking back in the direction of Angus' room, Alexander by her side. Avi watched them go, worry starting to creep into his stomach. He couldn't do anything right now about the situation, but he could make plenty of notes in Angus' official file with the SGOC and keep an eye on him just in case.

-/-

Barry and Lup reluctantly returned back home the next day, Barry particularly so. He didn't like the thought of leaving Angus with his relatives, even if they were his flesh and blood. The fact that he and Lup couldn't _do_ anything was frustrating beyond all belief. He didn't want to use up all his favors with their boss, but he was seriously considering asking Director Corvo if he could do some investigating into Angus' aunt and uncle to see if they were even fit to take care of a child, let alone one as amazing as Angus. It was a firm no in his opinion, but unfortunately that opinion did not count in a court of law, at least, not any that he knew about.

He resolved to keep up their letters and emails as long as he was able to, not wanting to lose contact with Angus if at all possible. It would ultimately be up to Angus' relatives if they allowed him to keep writing back and forth. Barry certainly hoped so.

It was a surprise when, less than a week after they'd returned to Refuge, Barry got a call from Carey while doing research for work in his home office. His immediate thought was that something had gone wrong with Angus yet again, and his stomach dropped unpleasantly as he answered the phone.

“Carey? What's going on? Is everything okay? Is Angus alright?”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down, Barry,” Carey said with a half-hearted laugh. “Angus is fine, as far as I know.”

That caught Barry off-guard “As far as you know?”

“Yeah, I, uh, I was 'let go' by the McDonalds a few days ago.” Carey sighed. “They hired a conservator for Angus and decided that I wasn't needed any more.”

“A conservator? Huh. I'd forgotten he'd need one of those,” Barry said. He ran a hand through his hair and then blew out a breath. “How'd he take it?”

“Not too bad, from what I could tell, but he wasn't exactly happy about it either. The conservator was from some sort of private party company. Don't know if they're SGOC-approved, but I sure as hell hope so.”

“If you remember the name of the company, I can look into them,” Barry offered.

“Thanks. They're Hammerhead Services, I think? I'd have to ask Angus, assuming I could get anywhere near him again,” Carey replied. “Anyways, it's some guy named Jerry. I didn't catch his last name.”

“It's a start, and I've worked with less. How're you doing?”

“Oh, you know, surviving while I job hunt. Killian says it's fine, but this is the shortest job I've ever had and I'm probably not going to get good references from them.”

Barry swore he could almost hear the defeated shrug in her voice. “Fuck, I'm sorry. I kind of feel like I had a hand in that.”

“Hey, it wasn't your fault. They're just rich and entitled assholes.”

Barry laughed at that. “Yeah, I guess so. You going to be okay?”

“I'll be fine. I always bounce back one way or another.”

“Well, if you need any help or just want to vent, you've got my number,” Barry told her. “Don't be afraid to use it.”

“I might just take you up on that,” Carey said, only half-joking. “Thanks, Barry.”

“It's the least I can do.”

They chatted for a while longer, straying towards more palatable and pleasurable topics until Carey had to go. Barry hung the phone up, still feeling vaguely guilty that he'd lost her her job somehow, and not quite sure how to fix it. He sat back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling, getting lost in thought. That was how Lup found him a half-hour later as she came to extract him from his office and drag him to lunch.

“Everything okay, babe?”

Barry blinked and then sat up straight with a tired smile. “Just thinking.”

“Yeah? About what?” Lup gave him a curious look as she entered the room and then came to a halt next to his desk. She held out a hand for him to take. Barry reached out and took her hand, his smile shifting from tired to fond.

“About the effect we've had on the lives of those around us. Carey called. She was fired from her job.”

“And you think it was your fault?”

“My presence didn't exactly help,” Barry pointed out. “It more than likely contributed to it, in fact.”

“Knowing them, they were probably going to fire her anyways,” Lup pointed out. “Given how they've treated Angus, it's not a big surprise that they'd be shitty to Carey.”

“Still doesn't make me feel any better.”

Lup squeezed his hand and then pulled him into a hug. “I know, babe, I know. You've got a good heart.”

Barry hummed in a noncommittal fashion as he returned the hug, nuzzling at her neck. Lup laughed.

“You're ridiculous and I love you,” she told him. “Scenting me yet again, huh?”

“You smell amazing, but I can stop if you want.”

“Don't you dare.” Lup kissed him quickly before letting go. “Now then, it's time for lunch, and I'm craving a roast beef dip from Ren's.”

“Mmm. That sounds amazing.” Barry took hold of her hand and headed out of the office. They walked together to Ren's hand-in-hand, enjoying the good weather they were having that day. The restaurant was moderately busy, with the wait staff bustling around to the various tables and bar area. Barry and Lup were seated relatively quickly regardless at one of the small two-person tables at the bar, as that was one of the less busy areas in the restaurant.

They ordered their food and then sat back to enjoy one another's company, Lup taking hold of Barry's hand as they talked. The food came out about ten minutes later, Barry humming in appreciation at the delicious smells coming from their plates. Their conversation stopped as they ate, though Barry did laugh when he had to defend his seasoned sweet potato fries from Lup towards the end of the meal.

“You have your own, Lup. You don't need to steal mine.”

“But mine are almost gone,” Lup whined gently. Barry looked at her plate and then back up at her with an arched eyebrow.

“There's at least ten there,” he pointed out. Lup pouted at him, making him roll his eyes in amusement.

“We can always get some to take home.”

Lup grinned. “And dessert?”

“That depends on what you're thinking of getting,” Barry replied. Lup hummed thoughtfully.

“Pumpkin pie? Or maybe they'll have some of that dark cherry pie you love so much?” she suggested. Barry's eyes lit up at that.

“Ooh, yes.”

He waited until their server had stopped to check on them and then ordered two slices of the dark cherry pie and a large box of the sweet potato fries to go. Once they got the food and then paid, they left the restaurant, Barry holding onto the bag containing the food boxes in his free hand while Lup held the other. The two of them walked slowly, not really having anywhere to be besides home. Barry put the food away when they got back to their house, though he left the pie on the kitchen counter so it didn't get too cold.

Lup was waiting for him in the living room, lounging lazily on the couch with a cooking show playing on low on the TV.

“Gonna join me, babe? You don't have any more work to do, right?”

“All done for the day, thankfully. I'm waiting on Kravitz to get back to me about his half of the research.”

Lup nodded, moving her legs as he sat down next to her. She waited until he was settled before she moved to straddle his lap, her arms looping loosely around his neck. Barry laughed quietly, the fond smile that formed making the corners of his eyes and mouth crinkle deeply.

“Hi.”

“Hey there, hot stuff.” Lup leaned in and brushed a kiss over his lips. “So... since neither of us have anything to do for the rest of the day, want to do nothing at all?”

“Oh, I don't know about _nothing_ ,” Barry replied. He ran his hands over her back, his fingers dancing teasingly along the long line of her spine. Lup grinned.

“I was hoping you would say that.”

They passed the time by making out like teenagers, getting lost in one another without really trying to achieve anything beyond a lazy haze of pleasure. That was how Taako found them a half hour later when his let himself in with his own key; Barry was on his back on the couch with Lup half-draped over him as they kissed.

“Oh, grossaroonie,” Taako said. Lup rolled her eyes at him she and Barry broke apart, neither of them looking ashamed in the least.

“Don't complain,” Lup retorted. “You've walked in on me doing worse.”

“Yeah, I know, and I hated it then too,” Taako shot back. “I don't wanna see my twin sister swapping spit with anyone.”

“Well, too bad.” Lup sat up, moving just enough so Barry could do the same. “I'm gonna kiss Barry as much as he'll let me.”

Barry laughed as he put his glasses back on. “Which will be pretty much whenever as long as neither of us are sick in any way.”

Taako huffed before flopping down in one of the armchairs. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Be all gross and shit.”

“Was there a reason you've barged in on us, 'Ko, or are you here just to put us on blast for enjoying ourselves?”

“I was wondering if you'd seen Krav.”

“And you couldn't have called us?”

“I tried,” Taako said dryly. “Funnily enough, you didn't answer for some reason.”

“Sorry,” Barry replied. He ran a hand over his hair in an attempt to smooth it down. “We haven't seen or heard from Kravitz today. I know he was going to be doing some work, but I don't know if he was going to be doing it from home or from the nearest office in Richmond.”

“Well, he sure as hell ain't at home,” Taako grumped. “I was going to make us dinner and everything, too.”

Lup frowned, checked the date on her silenced phone, and then looked up at him. “Shit, it's your anniversary, isn't it?”

“Yeah.”

“Really? Which one?”

“Three years.” Taako sighed. “It's not the first important date he's missed before because of work.”

“And he's not answering his phone?” Barry asked. Taako shook his head.

“Not a peep.”

Barry reached out and grabbed his own phone. He hit the speed-dial for Kravitz's work phone, figuring that that might be picked up faster than his personal one. That rang through to his voicemail, making Barry frown.

“Hm. That's weird?”

“I know, right?” Taako crossed his arms over his chest. “You sure you can't ask your boss about it?”

“I don't know if she'll answer, but I can always see.” Barry got up and took his phone into the office, turning on the white noise machine there before calling Director Corvo. He was honestly surprised when she picked up barely a few seconds after it started ringing.

“Sentinel-Doctor Bluejeans. How can I help you?”

“You know you can just call me, Barry, ma'am,” Barry immediately said, earning a soft laugh.

“I won't apologize for my formality, but thank you for the permission yet again. Now, the reason for your call? I don't mean to be short with you, but I am rather busy.”

“Right, of course. I was hoping you'd be able to tell me where Kravitz is? I understand if he's not able to be contacted, but as far as I was aware, he wasn't being sent on a mission any time soon.”

Director Corvo sighed. “He wasn't supposed to be, but then we got word of a possible Hunger operative working high up in the ranks of Miller Industries in Seattle.”

“Miller as in Lucas Miller?”

“The one and the same. Kravitz was supposed to check in an hour or so ago, but he hasn't yet.”

Barry pinched at the bridge of his nose. “And standard protocol is to wait two hours before sending in an investigatory team,” he said, trying to hide his exasperation.

“Yes, but this...”

“Yes?”

“This might require sending in a team before that time limit,” the Director concluded. “How soon can you get to the airfield? I can have a plane waiting for you within a half hour.”

“We can get there in ten, ma'am,” Barry said. “I'll let Lup know.”

“Good. And thank you for being so accommodating. I know you weren't planning on a rescue mission today.”

“When does anyone plan for that?” Barry asked with a wry smile. “We don't mind. Kravitz is family, not to mention the fact that Lup and I would have to break in a new partner if we didn't go after him, so we have double incentive to get him back.”

Director Corvo hummed in agreement, and Barry could hear the soft clacking of keyboard keys in the background. He assumed she was ordering others to get the plane ready. Thankfully, a plane ride from where they were to Seattle would only take an hour, which, while still longer than Barry would prefer, would hopefully mean that they would get to Kravitz in time before anything truly bad happened. Since Taako wasn't acting more worried or out of control than normal, Barry could only assume that Kravitz was still alive.

Bonded sentinels and guides knew exactly when their partners died, and it was never a pretty sight to see either when the bond snapped. If they were lucky, they merely went into shock. If they were _unlucky_... Well, that was where a lot of the misconceptions of the dangers regarding sentinels and guides came from. A broken bond bearer was often reckless and had little regard for their own lives, wanting nothing more than to wreak vengeance on those who took their bondmate away from them.

Barry said his goodbyes to the Director and then hung up before leaving the office. Lup had made Taako a cup of calming jasmine tea and was sitting on the couch with him. Both of them looked up when Barry came into the room, their matching expectant expressions making him pause briefly before he recovered.

“Right, so, Kravitz is currently in Seattle,” he said. He paused. “Taako, I'm going to want you to stay with Merle and Davenport while Lup and I go get him.”

“What? Why? I don't need a babysitter!” Taako protested.

“Taako, I need you to trust me on this one. I hope like hell you won't need their help, but I'd rather you be with them just in case.” Barry waited until Taako begrudgingly agreed to the idea before he looked at Lup. “Lup, we've got a flight in thirty at the airfield.”

Lup nodded as she got to her feet. She squeezed Taako's shoulder as her brother finished his tea. Taako set the empty mug down on the coffee table and then got to his feet.

“I don't like this, but I guess I'll go hang with the old guys.” He straightened out his clothes unnecessarily before pinning the two of them with a pointed glare. “Bring him back safe and sound, okay?”

“We will do our best,” Lup promised.

“Do better.”

Taako left, driving over to Merle and Davenport's while Lup and Barry got their gear and then went to the airfield. They were landing at Boeing Field (which was far closer to Seattle proper than the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was) within an hour, both of them grateful for the fact that their job allowed them to fly privately rather than having to deal with domestic air travel. Barry called Director Corvo when they arrived, getting any updates that might've happened while they were in the air.

“So,” he said as he and Lup got into a waiting car that was unremarkable in all the best ways, “he was supposed to be meeting Lucas Miller himself at the company's headquarters downtown. That was originally scheduled to last for an hour and then Kravitz was going to check in.”

“But he missed that deadline and good,” Lup added.

“Right. Our job is to go in, see if we can find Kravitz without getting anyone's attention, and then get him out.”

“That's going to be interesting,” Lup mused as the car started off towards the city. “We'll probably need to get ID cards or passes to get where Kravitz is, assuming it's not on a public floor.”

“Let's assume that until we know otherwise,” Barry said. “If I was a Hunger agent, I wouldn't keep him on a publicly accessible floor; would you?”

Lup shook her head. “Not a chance.”

“Right, so we need to get access somehow to the non-public floors.” Barry rubbed thoughtfully at his chin. “That's probably going to be the hardest part, but I'm sure we can figure it out somehow.”

“Somehow,” Lup agreed. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I believe in us, babe. We'll kick ass and get Kravitz back home safe and sound for Taako to worry over.”

Barry nodded and then settled in to plan some more with Lup, their heads bent together as they talked.

-/-

Kravitz was _not_ having a good day. The job was supposed to be in, talk with Lucas Miller about the shit he was trying to pull, and then be back home in time to celebrate his anniversary dinner with Taako. He'd been looking forward to that dinner, too, but _no_ , the Hunger operative who had managed to infiltrate Miller Industries had decided that the meeting was the perfect time to knock both him and Lucas out and then drag them off to God only knew where for a reason Kravitz could only assume was nefarious. Kravitz could've honestly worked with being spirited away to parts unknown as long as he was alone, but unfortunately, he had Lucas Miller with him, and the other man just Would. Not. Shut. _Up_.

He'd started complaining the second he'd regained consciousness, and by ten minutes in, Kravitz was honestly contemplating hitting him over the head again and risking brain damaging him just to get some quiet. He worked at loosing himself from his bonds, keeping an eye on the stark room that had likely seen service as a storage room of some kind at one point in his life. It didn't look too industrial, giving him hope that they hadn't been moved too far from the Miller Industries building. It would be hard to move two fully grown men from the twentieth floor of a high-rise office building without gaining some kind of attention, so it was more than likely that they'd been squirreled away somewhere on the twentieth floor or one of its adjacent floors to be moved later. That was what Kravitz himself would do (and had done in the past), so he hoped the operative was just as clever.

“And another thing, just what are they expecting will happen when they send in a ransom demand or whatever it is they're going to do?” Lucas whined. Kravitz had to force himself to not roll his eyes at Lucas' annoying whining. Sure, the man was a scientist, but he could at least try to not be as irritating. Kravitz had worked with quite a few scientists, and none of them had ever quite reached the level of annoyance that Lucas inspired.

“Either they get paid or you die,” Kravitz replied blandly as he worked at the knots holding him to the shelving unit he'd been tied to. The cord wasn't that good, thankfully, and soon he had it fraying against the sharp underside of the shelf. With a sharp tug, Kravitz managed to free himself from his anchor and then undid the knots holding the makeshift cuffs around his wrists.

He looked himself over, doing a quick check of his belongings. They'd taken his more obvious weapon-- the gun he had in a holster at the small of his back –but thankfully they had missed the knife he kept in one of his boots. Kravitz drew it from its sheath and then looked over at Lucas, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

“Who _are_ you?”

“A representative of Raven Securities,” Kravitz replied. He contemplated Lucas, idly twirling his knife in his hand. He could leave him where he was, as it was relatively safe and he would know where to come back to, but on the other hand, having him close by might be better. On the other _other_ hand (and here Kravitz mentally cursed his guide for giving him some... _unique_ mental patterns of speech), having Lucas with him would more than likely bring Lucas into harm's way, as Kravitz doubted their captor would appreciate them escaping.

He sighed heavily before going over to free Lucas. “Here's how it's going to work. I'm going to free you, and then you and I are going to get out of here as quickly and as quietly as humanly possible. I don't want to hear any complaining or anything loud while we're moving, understood?”

Lucas glared at him as he cut him free. “I'm not a child.”

“Maybe not, but if you're loud, you'll attract attention to us, and that's not something we need right now.” Kravitz finished getting him free and then stepped back, though he kept his knife in hand. It might not be as effective as his handgun had been, particularly at range, but it was all he had at the moment. “Now, where's the nearest and fastest elevator?”

“I don't know where we are, so I can't exactly answer that.”

Kravitz sighed sharply. “Fine. Follow me, and stay _quiet_.”

He checked the door, a quiet noise of frustration leaving him when he found that it was locked. Kravitz eyed the door critically and then turned to look around the room for either an alternate way out or a tool he could use to break the door in some way. A discarded screwdriver had him smirking. That could work.

It took a few minutes, but soon Kravitz had taken off the door handle on their side and then had jimmied the lock to make the door pop open. He cautiously stepped outside, knife in hand and Lucas reluctantly following after him. The hallway beyond was dimly lit and mainly comprised of concrete and industrial lighting, making Kravitz think they'd been stashed in some sort of secondary access corridor. That could be useful.

He glanced either way down the hall, and then, figuring that one was as good as the other, went to the left, Lucas trailing closely behind him. They eventually found two doors, one that claimed to go into the office floors and another that had an access staircase visible through the thin window on it.

“Right,” Kravitz said, turning to Lucas briefly, “we can either see if we can get to the elevator, which is the obvious choice of escape, or we can use the stairs and head out that way.”

“I vote for the elevator. It'll be quicker.” Lucas checked his watch. “They should still be working.”

“Maybe so, but elevators can also be stopped, and then we'd be trapped,” Kravitz pointed out. “I say we take the stairs, and no, we're not splitting up.”

“So how do you suggest we choose?”

Kravitz ran his free hand over his face, thinking. “We'll go down three flights of stairs and then try for the elevator,” he said finally. “Keep close behind me like you have been doing and we should be alright.”

“We'd better be,” Lucas grumbled as they headed into the stairwell. Kravitz ignored him, instead focusing on keeping an ear and eye out for anyone who might also be in the stairwell. The echoes of their footsteps bounced off the hard surfaces of the walls and steps, making it hard to pinpoint if they were the only ones there or not. When they reached their destination, Kravitz quietly opened the door into the access corridor, checked it both ways, and then led Lucas out and into the offices beyond the second door.

The lights were dimmed for the evening, making Kravitz think that business was over for the day, something confirmed when he checked the time. Six-thirty. Taako was either going to kill him or yell at him. Probably both, to be honest. He sighed and then called for his spirit guide, Elba. There was a brief pause before the panther appeared out of thin air at his feet, making Lucas yelp quietly.

“Hey. Uh, can you go tell Taako that I'll be home a little late?” Kravitz asked with a sheepish smile. Elba eyed him in amusement.

“You're gonna be in trou- _ble_ ,” she said in a sing-song manner, her tail twitching back and forth in amusement.

“You don't think I know that? I wasn't exactly expecting to be knocked out and stuffed in a supply closet.”

Elba let out a chuff of laughter before butting her head against his hand. “Yeah, yeah. I'll let him know. Oh, I should probably let you know, but the cavalry is on its way in the form of Barry and Lup.”

Kravitz' eyes widened. “Oh, fuck. Really?”

“Yeah. The Director approved it, so get your ass moving. I'll go reassure Taako that you're okay... for now.”

Elba vanished into the psionic plane between one step and the next, leaving Kravitz and Lucas alone once more. Kravitz turned to talk to Lucas, but paused when he saw how he was staring at him.

“What?”

“You're a _sentinel_?”

“I could be a guide, but yes, I am. And?” Kravitz asked as they started to make their way through the cubicles and towards the elevator.

“I just... You don't look like one.”

Kravitz rolled his eyes. “Do I even want to know what you think a sentinel looks like?”

“Big, brawny... I don't know, like in the movies?”

“Funnily enough, the movies don't accurately reflect real life all the time. Now hush.”

Kravitz was glad when Lucas went quiet, glad he could actually concentrate as needed. The fact that Lup and Barry were on their way was slightly disconcerting, but as long as they didn't have too much trouble getting into the building, Kravitz would welcome the help. If nothing else, they would likely have a car that could be used for a quick escape. He perked up when he saw the bank of three elevators, excited that their goal was in sight. He could not wait to get this ordeal over with and go home to his guide. 

The paperwork was going to be a bitch for this, especially given how it was supposed to be essentially a reconnaissance mission at the most. Kravitz hit the call button for the elevator and then drew Lucas to one side, tucking him into a nearby cubicle just in case. He kept his knife at the ready, prepared to throw it or defend them as needed. When the middle elevator doors slid open, Kravitz was glad to see that it was empty. He extended his sense of hearing one more before heading towards the elevator.

The doors slid shut suddenly and then the numbers went down rapidly, making Kravitz swear sharply. “Well, fuck. The stairs it is.”

Lucas groaned at that but gamely followed him back through the maze of the cubicles and then into the stairwell once more. They started down, Kravitz going first just in case. Around halfway down, they met Barry and Lup coming up, their pistols in hand but pointed safely at the floor. Kravitz felt a rush of relief run through him when he saw them.

“Got an extra one of those?” he asked. Barry handed his gun over, accepting Kravitz' knife in return.

“Here. You're a better shot than I am, anyways.” He looked at Lucas, gave him a brief nod, and then refocused on Kravitz. “Any word on the Hunger operative?”

“That's something that can be discussed when we're not in a stairwell,” Kravitz said. Barry smiled sheepishly and then turned to go back down the stairs he and Lup had just come up. No one was looking forward to going down another ten floors, but it was the only path they had. Lup went first, followed by Barry and Lucas, Kravitz taking up the rear.

By the time they made it to the second floor, Kravitz noticed that Lucas was panting slightly and was more than a little flushed by the unexpected exercise. “Hey, how did you two get in, anyways?” he asked Barry and Lup as the group paused to regain their collective breaths.

“We found a service door that was left unlocked,” Lup replied. “I don't know if that'll be our exit, but it's not that far from here. We do have to cross a loading bay, though.”

“That's fine. We can use that to get out. What about the car?”

“On standby about a block away,” Barry said, pushing away from the wall he'd been leaning against to recover. “We can call them once we're ready to go.”

“Perfect.” Kravitz looked at the others and then nodded. “Ready to go?”

“I suppose,” Lucas grumbled. He had lost the fear of being chased and had firmly settled into petulant annoyance at having to continue having to do anything physical.

“Good.”

Kravitz took the lead as they moved off again, Lup taking his spot at the rear of the group. Their relatively peaceful journey was interrupted halfway through the loading bay when the report of a gun echoed off the walls. Barry immediately pulled Lucas down and behind a nearby crate, checking him over quickly before calling out to the others.

“Kravitz? Lup?”

“All good, babe,” Lup reported, a note of intense concentration in her voice. “Little busy right now.”

Barry heard several short sharp shots before Kravitz' voice rang out. “Look, we don't want to kill you,” he said, “but we're not going to hesitate if you keep trying to hurt us. What do you want?”

“The Hunger will consume all!” came the reply, making Barry roll his eyes. A typical response.

“That's not exactly helpful,” Lup shot back. “Want to try again, asshole?”

“I don't think that's going to--” Kravitz began, and then grunted in pain. Lup huffed sharply and then fired at the Hunger agent, making him cry out in a higher-pitched echo of Kravitz. There was then the sound of a brief scuffle before she called out again.

“Okay, he's down! It's safe to come out.”

Barry cautiously popped his head out from behind the large crate to survey the scene. Lup had the Hunger agent in handcuffs, his weapon kicked away from him and laying several dozen feet away and well out of reach. Kravitz was examining his arm, his shirt halfway off as he tried to guess the severity of the bullet graze he'd gotten. Barry got to his feet, gesturing for Lucas to follow him.

“Well,” Kravitz said as the two of them drew near, “this could actually prove useful. We've never had a Hunger agent to play with before.”

The prone man glared at him, though the sharp expression was rather undercut when he winced as Lup finished bandaging the shallow wound he'd gotten when Lup had shot him in the lower leg. Barry rolled his eyes and then went to help Kravitz with his own wound, taking out the very small first aid kit he carried on him when working. The wound was just a graze, but he carefully cleaned it and then bandaged it up nonetheless.

“Thanks.”

Barry nodded as he put away his kit in the pouch it usually lived in on his belt. “No problem. You gonna be okay?”

“I've definitely had worse,” Kravitz assured him. He put his shirt and suit jacket back on, his movements only slightly hampered by the bandaged wound. Once his hands were free, Barry sent a message to the driver, telling them where they were at and that they would be having a prisoner to transport back to the nearest Raven Securities facility, not to mention the fact that they would need a cleanup crew to take care of the evidence of the gunfight.

Kravitz sighed. “Taako's going to be pissed at me, isn't he?”

“Mm, maybe, but he'll be fine eventually,” Lup said with an absent wave of a hand. “What are we going to do with him?” She gestured at Lucas, who was watching the three of them warily from near the crate he'd been hidden behind.

“Take him back and debrief him?” Barry suggested. “We need to make sure there aren't any other idiots looking to infiltrate his staff.”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

Several hours later, Barry, Lup, and Kravitz were touching down in the airfield outside of Refuge, the lights of the airfield glowing brightly in the lingering warmth of the late summer evening. Lup drove them back into town, dropping Kravitz off at the apartment building before taking her and Barry home. Kravitz made his way up the stairs, feeling exhausted. He just wanted to get out of his clothes, take a shower, and then collapse in his bed, preferably with Taako at his side and maybe one of the cats at the foot of their bed.

He was greeted at the door by Souffle, one of their three rescue cats. Souffle meowed roughly at him and then butted her head against him with a loud, rumbling purr. Kravitz smiled and then bent down to pet the ginger tabby, scratching behind her ears and then under her chin. She continued to purr, rubbing the sides of her face against him to scent mark him before pulling away. Kravitz followed her into the main living room of the apartment after taking off his shoes and suit jacket, pausing when he saw that Taako was dozing on the couch, the other two cats curled up on top of the blanket he was using. One was tucked neatly against his chest and the other sprawled out over the lump of his knees.

Elba and Garyl were sleeping on the nearby rug, Garyl's long body squished comfortably into the space between her legs. Kravitz padded quietly over to Taako's side and then knelt down in front of him, hesitating momentarily and drinking in his peaceful face before reaching out and gently shaking his shoulder.

“Taako? Hey, babe, I'm home.”

Taako cracked his eyes open, sleepy confusion passing over his face before he focused fully on Kravitz. “You're back.”

“Yeah, I am. I'm sorry I missed our anniversary.” Kravitz sat back on his heels, running a frustrated hand through his 'locs. “Work was... unexpectedly long.”

Taako snorted quietly as he sat up, dislodging Brulee from his spot next to his chest. The sandy brown cat moved aside with a disgruntled meow, waking the final cat, a tuxedo female named Cocoa, from her slumber, though she didn't move much except to roll over into the warm spot left by Taako's legs and go back to sleep.

“Long doesn't even begin to describe it, Bones,” Taako replied. He looked Kravitz over, his searching gaze pausing when he saw the faint outline of the bandage beneath his sentinel's shirt. “What happened?”

“Someone didn't take too kindly to my face, but thankfully he missed spectacularly. It's just a graze.”

“Just a graze? You're hurt.” Taako reached out and lightly ran his fingers over Kravitz' arm. “I hate it when you're hurt.”

“Barry patched me up and I've already had someone who's medically trained look at it,” Kravitz assured him. “It'll heal fully in less than a week. I'm _fine_.”

Taako frowned at him and then leaned in to pull him close in a hug. “Still doesn't mean I have to like it.”

“It's alright, I'm not very fond of being hurt either.” Kravitz returned the hug, breathing in deep to refresh his scent memory of Taako's unique smell. “Mm. Can we go to bed and then figure out what to do to celebrate our anniversary tomorrow?”

Taako poked him in the side before moving away. “Yeah, yeah.” He paused, his tawny colored eyes roving over Kravitz' face, though what he was looking for, Kravitz wasn't sure. “You sure you're okay?”

“Much better now that I'm home with you.”

“Sap.” Taako got up, stretching his arms lazily over his head. “I expect to be wined and dined by you to make up for this.”

Kravitz laughed. “I will certainly do my best.” He followed Taako into their bedroom, figuring that a shower could wait in favor of cuddles with his guide. As they settled in for the night, Kravitz hoped that there would be some advancements in taking down the Hunger now that they had one of their agents in custody. The Hunger needed to be eliminated and soon.

He banished all thoughts of work as he and Taako cuddled, burying his face against his guide's neck and breathing in deep. That earned a laugh from Taako, as well as a half-hearted joke about him being more of a dog than a cat before Taako tipped Kravitz' head back for a kiss. Kravitz gladly lost himself in the action, reveling in being alive and well in his guide's arms. He couldn't ask for anything better, and he wanted as many years of it as he could get.

They fell asleep tangled up around one another, Taako resting his head on Kravitz' chest to listen to his heartbeat. Kravitz slept well that night, his dreams focused mainly on Taako, just as they should be. He woke late the next morning, glad that neither he nor Taako had anything pressing, and was content to just lay there and revel in his guide's warm and soft presence.

Mornings like that were rare, and Kravitz intended on savoring every moment he could. Life could be a cold-hearted bitch sometimes, but for the moment, it was feeling fucking amazing.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of the legal stuff in here has had the Magic Handwave of Plot Convenience applied to it. I did my best to research what I could, but I am no lawyer, so... yeah.
> 
> Also, gosh dang word counters counting things differently...
> 
> [NaNo Site](https://nanowrimo.org/participants/pretzel/novels/a-town-called-refuge)

The information they got from the Hunger agent was moderately useful. It led to some safehouses that then brought more information the more they dug. Eventually, Raven Securities had to pass that information on to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, knowing that they weren't equipped to entirely take down a whole terrorist organization. Not having that drive left Barry, Lup, and Kravitz at a sort of loss as to what to do. They were put on temporary leave, allowing them to relax and recuperate.

Barry found himself contemplating the empty bedroom in his and Lup's house. At the moment, they were just using it as a shared office and occasional guest bedroom, but he couldn't help but think that it could be put to better use. Lup found him standing in the doorway of the office. She glanced into the office and then looked at him.

“So... What's cookin' in that brain of yours, babe?”

“Hmm?” Barry blinked and then shrugged. “I don't know. Just...” He sighed. “Thinking.”

“I can tell. What about?”

Barry rubbed at the back of his neck. “I...” He sighed. “I don't know. It feels like we could be using this room for something else. Something better than an office.”

“Yeah?” Lup leaned in against him, resting her head against his shoulder and then sliding an arm around his waist. “Like what?”

Barry shrugged. “Not sure. I just feel like it needs a change.”

Lup hummed thoughtfully. “I'm sure you'll figure it out. Why don't we get out of the house for a bit? Magnus wants us to help pick out his and Julia's Christmas tree.”

Barry laughed. “You know, it's hard to believe it's been over a year since I moved here,” he said, kissing her on the side of the head. “I definitely didn't think I'd ever meet my guide here or find friends who've become family.”

“Well, I'm glad you're here.” Lup kissed him on his cheek and then stepped away, taking hold of his hand. Barry followed her out of the house, making sure he was bundled up against the chill in the air. The first snow hadn't happened yet, but the forecast over the next week or so looked rather promising. Barry loved the snow, especially now that his senses were so balanced due to his bond with Lup. A full bond wouldn't entirely keep him from zoning, but it was definitely a help.

Magnus and Julia were waiting for them when they arrived at the tree lot, Julia holding a steaming cup of apple cider in her gloved hands. Magnus waved happily at them as Lup parked their car and then turned it off. Barry got out, pulling his scarf tighter around his neck.

“Barry, Lup! Right on time,” Magnus called out as they approached him. “They've got hot cider for a dollar if you want any.”

“Maybe a little later,” Lup replied. “Thanks, though.”

“So, what kind of tree are we looking for?” Barry asked.

“One that's at between six and eight feet tall.” Julia took a drink of her cider with a happy hum. “Preferably a Douglas Fir.”

“Douglas Fir, got it.” Magnus kissed her on her cheek. “Let's go find the perfect tree!”

That earned a round of laughter from the others as they followed him into the rows of trees, Magnus rushing ahead in his enthusiasm. Barry, Lup, and Julia took a more leisurely pace. As they were walking through the rows of trees, Barry's cell phone went off. Curious, he dug it out of his pocket and then answered it, having to strip off one of his gloves in order to do so.

“Hello, this is Barry.”

“Barry, it's Lucretia. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you on this, but the Bureau's been pretty busy lately.”

Barry smiled. “No problem, Luce. So, what's up?”

“So, I was looking into Hammerhead Services, and you're not going to like what I found,” Lucretia told him. “Are you somewhere that we can talk?”

“I mean, I'm out helping Magnus and Julia pick out a Christmas tree,” Barry said, coming to a halt in a quiet corner of the lot. Lup waited nearby, looking curious as to what was going on. “What did you find?”

“To put it bluntly, they've got a shitty track record and really should've been out of business years ago.” Barry could hear Lucretia shuffling paper around in the background. “There are multiple incidents of them being reported to the SGOC, but no one's done anything to shut them down for some reason. From what I can tell, it's probably because they've got someone on the inside.”

She sighed. “Long story short, Angus isn't going to be getting the help that he needs.”

“Is there anything we can do for him?” Barry asked.

“Unless we get evidence that his conservator isn't performing his job, not really,” Lucretia told him. “Just... keep in contact with Angus, alright?”

“I wasn't exactly planning on abandoning him. The fact that I'm still able to send letters to him is amazing. I'm not about to give that up.”

“I know, I know. I just... If we're going to be able to help him at all, we need to do it carefully. Talk to him about how he's doing like you would normally, but try not to lead the conversation too much.”

Barry nodded, briefly forgetting Lucretia couldn't see him, and then spoke when he remembered himself. “Right. Thanks, Lucretia. Is there anything else?”

“Not right now, but I'll keep you updated,” Lucretia promised. “Have fun with the tree hunt.”

Barry laughed. “I'll do my best. Talk to you later.”

Lucretia ended the call, leaving Barry to mull over what she'd told him as he pocketed his phone.

“Everything okay?”

“Hm?”

Barry looked up at Lup and then shot her a quick smile. “Hopefully. Lucretia had some information for me about Hammerhead Services.”

“And?”

“And they don't exactly have a sterling reputation, but there's not much we can do without concrete evidence,” Barry said, running his now-gloved hand through his hair. “Hopefully Angus will tells us if anything is wrong.”

“Hopefully,” Lup agreed. She kissed him and then smiled. “Come on, we'd best catch up with the others. Otherwise, Magnus is going to get a tree that's way too big.”

Barry laughed. “Yeah, he probably will.”

They went to find their friends hand-in-hand, the smell of balsam and pine accompanying them as they went.

-/-

Jerry settled back in his chair in the living room, feeling very pleased with himself. He'd gotten himself a sweet gig, and he barely had to do anything at all. Being a conservator was an easy job, especially when the people who'd hired him were rich and didn't seem to care all that much about whether or not he was actually properly licensed and trained to do the work. If a few small things happened to go missing here and there...

Well, he could always blame some of the other staff or, if he was careful, not get caught at all. It was a lot easier since the McDonalds were constantly off on business trips or out of the house entirely. All Jerry had to do all day was go to school with Angus and hang out in the staff room there in case he was needed. Not that it would do Angus any good if he _did_ need Jerry, but Jerry was planning on cutting and running should that ever happen, and he knew his boss would keep him from getting into too much trouble. Marvey was good like that.

Jerry took a sip of the beer he'd liberated from the fridge, feeling pleasantly buzzed. It might not be New Year's Eve-- or even past three PM --quite yet, but he was going to celebrate the night by getting as drunk as he could since it was the first day of Winter Break and he didn't have to worry about watching over the brat as much. He closed his eyes, barely paying attention to the sound of the front door opening and closing in the near distance. Life was good for Ol' Jerry, and he wasn't about to change a thing.

Outside, Angus breathed a sigh of relief and then pulled his coat closer around himself. Slipping past his conservator was a pitifully easy task, especially when the man was either sleeping or drunk most of the time. Angus had purposefully waited until Jerry had settled in with his second beer before making his quiet escape from his aunt and uncle's house. It was hardly home to him, not the way his grandfather's had been, and Angus was more than ready to get out of there for good.

He squared his shoulders and then went to the nearest bus stop, having plotted out the routes he would need to take to get to the Sentinel-Guide Center. Angus had made sure to leave early enough in the afternoon that he should hopefully be able to see Dr. Avi. Angus really liked the friendly man and had never had any reason to distrust him. Jerry, on the other hand...

Jerry was a mass of self-interest and deceit that made Angus highly uncomfortable. He didn't like being around him any more than he had to be, not to mention the fact that Jerry didn't have a trace of an empathic gift in his body, let alone any guide abilities. How he'd managed to pass himself off as a conservator for so long, Angus didn't know.

The young sentinel shivered in the cold as he waited for the bus to come, readjusting his scarf so it wrapped more tightly around his neck. The air was crisp and sharp, speaking of the possibility of snow even this close to the ocean. Angus liked snow, having fond memories of building snowmen with his granddad and sitting by the fire with a good book while it snowed outside, turning the world into a sparkling white wonderland.

Angus perked up when the bus finally came, paying the fare at the front and then finding a seat near one of the windows so he could keep an eye out on where they were at any given moment. It took almost an hour to get to the Center, but Angus didn't mind. He was away from the house, from Jerry, and most importantly from the echoes of emotions he could feel there. The house was full of various kinds of tension and nearly devoid of love, save for a vague familial affiliation that didn't exactly give Angus any sort of hope for the longevity of his well-being.

When the Center finally came into sight, Angus pulled the stop cord, waiting eagerly for the bus to come to a halt at the next stop before getting off. A short walk later and he was stepping into the warmth of the Center's lobby. Angus adjusted the set of the satchel he was wearing, looking around to see if he recognized anyone there. His eyes widened when he saw who was at the front desk, and he hurried to greet her.

“Miss Carey!”

Carey looked up from her computer, blinking a few times in surprise before grinning. “Angus! What're you doing here?”

Angus stopped in front of the reception desk, one hand gripping the strap of his satchel as Carey came around the desk. He hugged her quickly and then stepped back.

“I wanted to see if Dr. Avi was here,” he said. “I need to talk to him about something.”

Carey frowned, her head tilting to one side briefly. “Angus... Where's your conservator?”

Angus' grip tightened on his strap. “That's part of what I need to talk to him about. Can, uh, can you help me find Dr. Avi?”

“Give me a moment to get someone to cover the front desk,” Carey said, reaching out and squeezing his shoulder. She went back around the desk and picked up the phone. A short phone call later and Carey was able to take Angus through the halls of the Center to find Avi.

The doctor was in his office, sorting through some of the vast amounts of paperwork that his job generated pretty much every day. He looked up when Carey knocked on his half-open door, looking relieved to have at least a small interruption in his day.

“Come in!” he said as he gathered up his paperwork and then put it in his desk drawer to work on later. Carey stepped into the office, Angus a few steps behind him. Avi got to his feet when he saw Angus, surprise flashing across his face. “Angus? What are you doing here? And where's your conservator?”

“Well on his way to getting drunk in the living room, sir,” Angus said with a lopsided smile. “I wanted to talk to you about him, actually.”

“Do you want me to call your aunt or uncle?” Avi asked, going down to one knee so he and Angus were of similar heights. Angus shook his head.

“They're in Portland.”

“God, _another_ business trip?”

Avi and Angus looked up at Carey, who only looked faintly embarrassed. She shrugged. “What? I can't have been the only one who was thinking it.”

“Um, no, Miss Carey, not a business trip. Well, not really,” Angus replied. “It's for a fundraiser gala, I think, but they took the whole week. It's alright, though; I'm on winter break, so I'm not missing any school being here.”

“That's... not exactly reassuring, Angus,” Avi said, rising to his feet. He grabbed the chair from behind his desk and moved it so he could sit near the other two chairs. Carey shut the door to give them some semblance of privacy before settling in on one of the chairs. Angus took the final chair, taking his satchel off before opening it and then pulling out a notebook.

“I've been keeping notes about Mr. Jerry,” Angus said, handing the notebook over to Avi. “I don't think he has any sort of empathic abilities. He's not a guide, I know that much, and if he _is_ a sensitive, he's not high enough on the scale to be sensed in any way. I can tell that he isn't, even with my limited training. He also doesn't seem to have any kind of training, either. I think my aunt and uncle chose Hammerhead because it was the cheapest and quickest option.”

“Hammerhead? As in Hammerhead Services?” Avi asked as he took the notebook. He opened it up, noting with some surprise the neatly dated and sometimes timed entries that had been written out in Angus' careful hand.

Angus nodded. “Yes, sir. I did some research and they don't seem very reliable.”

“That's because they're not,” Avi said with a sigh, continuing to look through the entries. There was a clear pattern of Jerry either slacking off, not doing his job at all, or getting intoxicated heavily at various points, none of which were choices a responsible conservator should be making. He set the notebook aside on his desk and then rubbed a hand over his mouth as he sat back to think.

Legally, he shouldn't be making any decisions without at least attempting to contact Angus' aunt and uncle, but this was yet another poor choice of theirs in a long string of them. Avi sat back, contemplating what to do next. He knew he had to do _something_ , but he knew he would also have to play it carefully as well. Regardless of what he did, Child Services would have to be called in, as well as the SGOC.

Those two agencies were necessary to investigate Angus' claims, as he was both underage and an online sentinel, a complex mixture that brought in some interesting legal challenges. Luckily, Avi knew of some good lawyers who would likely be up to the challenge. He focused on Angus, who was chatting quietly with Carey while Avi had been thinking.

“So,” Avi said, leaning forward with his forearms resting on his thighs, “this is going to be difficult. We're going to have to contact your relatives, first and foremost, as well as the SGOC and the CPS. We're also going to have to figure out where you're going to stay while things are sorted out. Legally, you can claim Sanctuary here and your relatives can't fight it, assuming they want to. The fact that you're on winter break is helpful as well.”

“And how do I claim Sanctuary?” Angus asked curiously.

“You'll need to fill out a form that's signed by me and another witness,” Avi said.

“I, uh, I probably shouldn't be that witness, huh?” Carey said with a slight laugh. “Wouldn't want them to accuse anyone of trying to manipulate things. I can go get one of the other staff members to stand as witness.”

She got to her feet, straightening out her skirt before leaving the office. Angus scratched at the back of his neck before speaking.

“I didn't bring any extra clothes with me,” he told Avi. Avi shook his head.

“No need to worry about it,” he assured Angus. “We'll take care of that for you. It's all part of the Sanctuary responsibilities.”

He got up and then went over to a filing cabinet that held some forms he'd never thought he'd have to use. Avi pulled out a drawer and then rifled through the papers there until he found the correct form. He took it out, shutting the drawer once he had the paper in hand and then went to his desk, grabbing a pen and then starting to fill out what he could without the other witness there.

It wasn't long after that before Carey returned with another of the Center's staff members. Jess was a tall woman who seemed rather intimidating at first, but it quickly became apparent that she was well-suited for her role in a care-giving field. Once everything had been explained and she'd heard Angus' side of the story, Jess read over the form before putting her signature down as a witness. Avi signed next, with Angus making his mark on the appropriate line as the last in order.

“So... now what?”

“Now I get to make several calls,” Avi told Angus, “and you get to be set up in a room. No medical equipment this time, I promise.”

Angus laughed. “Thank you for that.” He paused. “Um... Could I call someone?”

“Who?”

“I was hoping maybe Barry and Miss Lup?” Angus said hopefully.

“You can use my phone,” Carey told him with a fond laugh. “C'mon, let's get you settled in and then we can call them.”

Angus nodded in agreement, already starting to feel better about the whole situation. He honestly didn't think his relatives were the evil monsters of fairy tales-- racists, for sure, and decidedly not suited for any kind of parenthood –but rather the garden variety known as _Homo sapiens_.

Carey and Angus left Avi's office and went to go claim a room for him in the guest quarters area of the Center. Usually used for the families of sentinels and guides under the Center's care, the rooms looked more like hotel rooms than hospital rooms, something Angus was grateful for. He still had the occasional nightmare that he was trapped in that abandoned hospital with the others, chained to their beds and wondering what horrors would come next.

Angus often wondered what had become of the others, if they'd found good homes or had been returned to the ones they'd been taken from. He felt guilty that he'd never asked about them, but that guilt was tempered by the fact that he didn't even know if he _could_ be told. Resolving to see if he or someone he knew would be at least able to find out how the other kids were doing, even if it was just in generalities. Angus set down his satchel down in the room Carey picked out for him and then took a seat on the small loveseat there.

“So... can we call now?”

Carey laughed fondly. “Sure. Actually, let's see if they're able to video chat. We'll have to sit close together since the screen's small, but I guess it's a good thing we like each other, right?”

Angus laughed at that as Carey sat next to him, her phone in her hand. “I guess so.”

Carey shot him a grin and then hit the button to start a video call with Barry, briefly looking over at the clock. It was still relatively early in the afternoon, so there was a good chance Barry would answer. As it turned out, Lup was the one who answered the call, as Barry had been out of the room when it rang.

“You've reached the phone of—” Lup paused, her eyes lighting up when she saw who was calling. “Carey? _Angus_?” She held the phone away from her face and then called out to Barry. “Barry! Babe! Get your butt out here. Carey and Angus are on video chat!”

There was a distant crash, a faint curse, and then the sound of hurried footsteps as Barry joined Lup, his hands still damp from washing dishes. He had a dishtowel in his hands that he used to dry them off while he spoke.

“This is certainly a welcome surprise,” he said. “What's going on? Did the two of you meet up somewhere and then decide to call us or something?”

“Sort of,” Carey said. “I'll let Angus tell you more about what's going on.”

Angus took in a deep breath and then launched into an explanation of the situation and why he'd decided to do what he'd done. He trailed off into silence once he was done, waiting for Barry and Lup's reactions. He doubted they'd be angry-- at least, not at him –but he didn't want them to be disappointed in him. That felt like it would be far worse than their anger, if he was honest with himself.

Barry and Lup exchanged looks before Lup cleared her throat.

“First off, I want to say how proud I am of you,” she said. “You shouldn't have had to make that kind of choice in the first place, but the fact that you did it in pretty much the best way possible is probably going to work out the best all the way 'round.”

Barry nodded in agreement. “You're safe and in a place that can help you,” he added on. “You've done well, Angus.”

Angus smiled shyly, not used to such direct praise. Even his grandfather had been more of a fan of indirect praise, so it was a relatively new experience for him.

“Thank you.” His smile faded slightly. “I just hope my aunt and uncle aren't too mad.”

“If they are, then they obviously don't recognize how awesome you are,” Carey told him, sliding an arm around his shoulder and giving him a sidelong hug. Angus leaned into it, soaking up both the physical contact and the comforting empathic echoes he was getting from her. They talked with Barry and Lup for about twenty or so more minutes after that, talking about lighter subjects for that time.

Angus loved hearing about Magnus' antics when searching for his Christmas tree, laughing at Barry's description of Magnus' excited reaction when they finally found the perfect one. The call ended not long after that, with goodbyes being said all around and then Carey turning off the video chat.

“So,” she said after a beat, “what do you want to do now?”

Angus shrugged. “I don't know. Maybe sleep? I'll be fine on my own for a while, so you don't have to stick around.”

Carey ruffled his hair gently. “Go take a nap. I'll be here when you get up.”

Angus nodded as he stood, stretching a little. He took his shoes off and then got into bed, suddenly feeling exhausted. He fell asleep not long after, barely noticing when Carey left the room.

Across town, Jerry roused himself from his drinking binge and went to go check on his charge, doubting that Angus had managed to get into much trouble in the past few hours. He stumbled up to Angus' room, knocking a few times before opening the door. It took several long moments before Jerry's alcohol-soaked brain realized what was missing.

“Th' fuck?” he muttered. Angus was nowhere to be seen and, crucially, his coat and shoes weren't either. From the little time Jerry had spent with him, he knew that Angus really wasn't one for going outside, and nor did he really have many friends close by that he could go and play with. Panic started to churn sluggishly through Jerry's brain. Shit shit _shit_.

He made his way to his own room, digging around to find his phone. Eventually finding it under a shirt that was in desperate need of cleaning, Jerry jabbed at the screen until he was able to find Marvey's number and then activate the call. He put it on speakerphone while it rang, hurriedly finding a duffle bag and starting to shove whatever clothes he could into it, not caring if they were clean or not.

“What do you want, Jerry? I'm busy here.”

“I lost him!”

There was silence from the phone before Marvey purposefully cleared his throat. “You did _what_?”

“I lost him. I mean, I _think_ I did. All I was doin' was having a drink and then I went to check on him and he wasn't there and--”

“Shut the fuck up,” Marvey snapped. “How long ago did you see him?”

“I don't know. This morning?” Jerry finished stuffing the duffle bag full of clothes and what cash and loot he'd managed to steal and then zipped it up. “I'm not sticking around here any longer than I have to, Boss.”

He grabbed his phone, turning off the speakerphone before putting it up to his ear. “Can you send a car or somethin'? I don't want to be caught driving by the cops when I'm drunk.”

Marvey sighed heavily, the noise turning to static over the connection. “I'll send Hank to get you, and then the two of you are gonna get out of town and then lay low somewhere. I'll call you when it's clear.”

“Thanks, Boss.”

“Don't thank me for you fucking up.”

Marvey ended the call, leaving Jerry to stand there for a moment while his brain caught up. He grabbed his bag off the floor, pulled on his coat, and then went to go wait for the car. While he waited, he snagged a bottle of vodka from the liquor cabinet and tucked it into his bag, figuring he might as well have something for the road.

A half hour later and a car was pulling up outside the house, its driver honking twice. Jerry didn't need telling any more than that. He left the house and got into the car, pulling the door shut behind him. Hank pulled away from the curb and sped off, leaving the McDonald house behind.

-/-

Alexander wanted nothing more than to scream in frustration, but as he was in public at lunch with some _very_ important possible investors, he had to grit his teeth in a faux-polite smile and then excuse himself from the table so he could focus on the call he'd gotten on his cell phone. He stepped away and found a quiet area outside of the banquet hall before focusing on his phone.

“Sorry, can you repeat that?” he asked, more out of disbelief than actually wanting to hear it again. “And who is this again?”

There was a sigh from the other end and then a reply. “My name is Theresa Hurley of Ram and Raven Legal Services. I'm a lawyer representing your nephew, Angus McDonald.”

“He's _ten_. What the hell could he need a lawyer for?” Alexander spluttered.

“He's claimed Sanctuary with the SGOC and the Eugene Sentinel-Guide Center under the grounds of irreconcilable differences with you and your wife, as well as living in an unsafe environment for a minor sentinel,” Hurley replied.

“And what does that mean, exactly?”

“It means that for the time being, Angus has been taken into custody by the SGOC and your guardianship rights over him have been temporarily suspended. He will be provided room and board by the Center at no expense to you until this issue is resolved,” Hurley told him. “A hearing date is in the process of being set, but will likely happen before the new year.”

Alexander scrubbed a hand over his face, trying not to launch into a volley of curses. That could happen later; he needed to deal with this now. “Is there any way to avoid any kind of legal battle here? We were stuck with him without any sort of by-your-leave after my father died.”

There was a long pause from Hurley before she spoke again. “The hearing is out of court, and out of respect to Angus' status as a minor, we're going to do our best to keep it that way. There isn't a way to entirely avoid legal work, unfortunately, so I would suggest that you either hire a lawyer who is versed in sentinel-guide family law or request that the SGOC provide one for you. Once the hearing date is set, you'll be notified and then expected to show up at the appointed time and place.”

Alexander sighed sharply. “Fine, we'll be there. Is that everything?”

“For now, Mr. McDonald. My office will be in further contact with you as--”

Alexander ended the call, not wanting to listen to another word she had to say. It was useless, anyways. He was sure he'd find out everything he need to know soon enough, and if it was truly important, his own lawyers could handle it. He returned to the luncheon, putting on his best smile and turning his mind and effort towards getting the investors his business needed.

-/-

The date of the hearing was set for the twenty-seventh of December, a good compromise between Christmas and New Years' so that it wouldn't affect either overly much. Angus stayed at the Center while those representing him-- Avi, Hurley, her partner and wife Sloane, and the representatives from the SGOC and CPS (a guide named Roswell and a woman named Paloma) –went to the meeting at the courthouse. Alexander, Beverly, and their own lawyers were waiting there when the others arrived, the former two looking tense while the latter seemed to have a bored air around them.

Once everyone was settled in around the large table in the conference room, a judge entered the room and took his seat at the head of the table. He adjusted his reading glasses and then cleared his throat.

“Right. My name is Judge Cyrus Rockseeker,” he said, looking over the top rims of his glasses as he glanced around the table. He picked up a piece of paper and looked it over. “We're here to hear the custody case of Angus McDonald, a minor sentinel who has claimed Sanctuary with the SGOC and the Eugene, Oregon, branch of the Sentinel-Guide Center. Representing him are lawyers Theresa Hurley and Lara Sloane of Ram and Raven Legal Services. We also have for the record guide Ash Roswell from the SGOC, Doctor Avi Gunner from the Eugene Sentinel-Guide center, and Paloma Lundberg of Child Protective Services. Representing Alexander and Beverly McDonald are Bernard Bole and Daniel Croft of the Bole, Croft, and Donnelly Law Firm.”

He set the piece of paper down on the table in front of him and then folded his hands on top of it. “We'll start with statements from either side before we settle things. Who would like to begin?”

Bole cleared his throat. “My clients are willing to cede their rights of guardianship to their nephew as long as they are able to have a say over what happens to the funds left to him by Artemis McDonald, his paternal grandfather.”

Sloane shook her head. “The stipulations of Artemis McDonald's will clearly specify that Angus' trust is unable to be touched by anyone until his eighteenth birthday besides licensed wealth management professionals, and even then there is a firm limit on the percentage of funds that can be invested at any one time. Your clients have no legal access or claim to those funds, something I am sure they are well aware of.”

She took a certified copy of the relevant part of the will out of a folder on the table in front of her and then handed it to Judge Rockseeker. The judge took it, read it over, and then set it down.

“That's settled that, then,” he said. “May I ask why you are so willing to cede your rights of guardianship, Mr. and Mrs. McDonald?”

“We weren't given a choice in having him,” Beverly said, “and we are in no way prepared to deal with a child who continues to claim that he's a sentinel, even though that anomaly has been bred out of the McDonald bloodline. He's clearly delusional and has managed to convince others of his delusion.”

Avi pinched at the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “Mrs. McDonald, Angus is truly a sentinel. We have the results of the medical tests to confirm that diagnosis. He is not delusional. His medical needs are mainly simple environmental adjustments like sentinel-safe cleaning products and natural fiber clothing, all of which can be found for often subsidized prices for families who are unable to afford them. He also requires an empathic conservator who is trained and licensed by the SGOC.”

“Which we provided,” Alexander said with a sniff. “It wasn't _our_ fault the man was a fraud.”

“Hammerhead Services is well-known for its predatory business practices,” Roswell said, a faint frown on their face. “They are listed in the documentation about preferred providers, both in our pamphlets and on the SGOC and the Center's websites, as a company to stay away from when looking for conservators.”

“Yes, well, perhaps that should have been made more clear. Regardless, we would prefer to not have to worry about this. Let those who are more prepared to take care of him do so.” Beverly waved an idle hand. “Like Mr. Bole said, we're willing to give up our claims to him without any fuss.”

“You understand that if you do this, you won't be able to revisit this issue in the future,” Judge Rockseeker warned.

“That won't be a problem.”

“Then he will come under the care of the SGOC,” Paloma said, “either until he turns eighteen or someone adopts him.” She produced a thick packet of paperwork from a satchel and then handed it over to Mr. Croft. The lawyer took it and then read it over with a practiced eye before giving it to Beverly and Alexander to read and sign.

It was barely twenty minutes later before the whole ordeal was settled, with Judge Rockseeker adding his final signature on the last page. Once everything was signed, copied, and sealed, the group broke up, though those who had been representing Angus remained behind for a brief moment.

“Well... That went surprisingly better than I thought it would,” Avi said with a sigh.

“And yet I wasn't exactly surprised by how quickly they gave up their guardianship,” Hurley replied, her tone dry. “Some people just aren't suited to be parents of any kind.”

“Mm. Well, Angus is going to have a much better life now,” Paloma said.

“And he'll get the training he needs,” Roswell added, getting up from their chair. “So, who wants to let him know what's going on?”

“I'll do it. I'm going back to the Center anyways.” Avi got up as well, stretching out his legs idly before putting his chair back in its place. “Thank you, everyone, for all of your help.”

Sloane nodded. “Always happy to do good work,” she said. “Hopefully now Angus will be much better off.”

There was a murmur of agreement amongst the group before they dispersed, a feeling of victory lingering amongst them.

-/-

Angus was waiting anxiously in the small rec room at the Center, Carey doing her best to keep him distracted. They were in the middle of a game of checkers (at which Angus was trouncing her quite handily) when Avi arrived. Angus immediately abandoned the game and got up, hurrying over to him.

“Doctor Avi! What happened? Did they decide to give up guardianship? What's going to happen now?”

“Whoa, whoa, hold on,” Avi said, holding up his hands to stem the flood of questions. “Let's sit down and then we can talk.”

Angus promptly took a seat in a nearby chair, waiting impatiently as Avi sat down as well. He folded his hands in his lap, trying not to wiggle in place.

“So, first things first, they did give up their guardianship rights over you, so you're now a ward of the SGOC first and the state second,” Avi told him. “We'll be figuring out where you'll be living soon, but that probably won't be settled until after the New Year.”

“What about school?”

“Since you're going to public school at the moment, you'll keep going there,” Avi said. “The social worker handling your case-- Miss Paloma to you –will be handling your housing and so on once we figure out where that will be.”

Angus nodded, avidly soaking in all the information. He knew it would be important later on, but for now all he had to do was listen and trust that the others would have his best interests at heart. Once Avi was done explaining what was going on, Angus paused before leaning over and hugging him.

“Thank you for doing all of this for me,” he said as Avi carefully hugged him back.

“Of course. I'm just sorry it had to come to this.”

Angus shrugged as the hug ended. “It's alright. At least this way I'll be safe and sound, and my aunt and uncle won't be bothered with me.”

Carey winced at that. “That's...” She sighed as she cleaned up their game. She couldn't exactly fault him for saying that, but it wasn't something she liked hearing.

“The truth,” Angus said. “It's alright, Miss Carey. I'm not exactly too worried about it. They made their choice and I made mine.”

“Still doesn't mean I like hearing it, Angus.”

“Sorry.”

“Don't... Don't worry about it,” Carey assured him. “So... Do we celebrate? I don't know if this is a thing to celebrate or not.”

Avi shrugged. “I'll never turn down an opportunity for cake. Just don't tell Johann and we'll be good to go.”

Angus laughed at that, his mood lifting. The future was uncertain, but he was sure he could get to where he wanted to be as long as he had people in his corner and the determination to get there. It hadn't failed him so far.

-/-

When Barry heard the news about what had happened, he was stunned. On one hand, he knew from what Angus and Carey had told him, not to mention his own brief experience, that Angus' relatives weren't exactly the best people in the world, but the fact that they were so willing to give him up so quickly astounded him. He wasn't particularly fond of the idea of Angus being back in the foster system either, but at least he was relatively safe and in a far better environment, both physically and emotionally.

The itch to redecorate their second bedroom had doubled after that, and when Barry found himself looking at how to become a foster parent for a sentinel as a sentinel himself, he knew he was sunk. He had to talk to Lup about this before he did something stupid. He brought up the subject one night a few days into January while they were cleaning up the dinner dishes. His nervous fidgeting with a dirty fork caught Lup's attention, making her give him a concerned look.

“Everything okay?”

Barry froze for a brief moment and then sighed, putting the fork in the dishwasher before stepping away. “I just... It's going to sound stupid.”

Lup's concerned frown deepened. “Babe, you're many things, but stupid isn't one of them. What's on your mind? You've been pretty distant the whole meal.” She reached out and put a hand on his arm, squeezing it gently. “Talk to me.”

“I want to foster or adopt Angus,” Barry said in a rush, his words tumbling out of his mouth as his brain finally released what he'd been holding back. “He's such a great kid, and I don't want to leave him in the system. I keep thinking that he'd be such a good fit here that it's hard to shake the idea. I don't... He deserves to be somewhere that he's loved and cared for, and he's really only getting half of that at the group home and--”

Barry trailed off when he saw Lup's expression, not expecting the look of deeply fond amusement. “What?”

“You've been carrying that around with you for a while, huh?”

Barry shrugged, his shoulders hunching towards his ears a little as his cheeks went red. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Well, it's going to be a lot of work, and we probably won't be able to take him home right away, even if we do apply for adoption. That shit takes time, but we've got some good connections. The fact that we're a bonded pair will probably help matters. We can ask 'Cretia what she thinks, see if she has any advice for us.”

Barry blinked. “You'd... you'd be okay with that? With being parents?”

Lup merely smiled. “Barry, I can't biologically have any kids. I never thought I'd get to be a mom except if I adopted. Even if we only end up being foster parents, that's still more than I thought I'd be able to do.”

She slid her hand down his arm and then took his hand in hers, interlacing their fingers. “We're going to have to make some changes. The room, definitely, and also our work schedules. Maybe see about going full analyst and leave out the field work unless absolutely necessary, stuff like that. We can make this work, but it's going to have to be for the long haul.”

Barry beamed at her before pulling her into a hug. “Fuck, you're amazing,” he said. “How did I ever get so lucky?”

“I ask myself that every day when I wake up beside you.” She hugged him back, soaking up the cautious excitement he was giving off. “Hey Barry?”

“Yeah?”

“We're going to be fucking amazing parents, just you watch.”

And Barry could hardly argue with that.

-/-

Lup was right, it did take a lot of work to get approval for what they wanted to do. After a long discussion, they decided to go the adoption route, keeping fostering in their back pockets if Angus didn't want to be adopted. It took several long months of classes, home visits, evaluations by both the SGOC and CPS, and mountains of paperwork before they were even allowed to broach the subject with Angus.

They met up with him at the Portland Sentinel-Guide Center on a weekend in late May, a scarce few weeks before the school year was due to end. Angus wasn't told who was there to see him, just that he had visitors. He gave Paloma a curious look when she met him at the Center, giving a nod to his current foster guardian before she led him deeper within.

“You will like these visitors, I think,” Paloma said, absently handing him a chocolate chip cookie as they walked, pulling it out of a Ziploc bag in her purse. Angus took it with a murmured thanks, biting into it and relishing its still soft texture. Miss Paloma always made the best baked goods, and somehow she managed to have his favorites at hand nine times out of ten when he saw her. He enjoyed the cookie as they walked, the sweetness of the perfectly baked dough counterpointed by the slight bite of the dark chocolate chips.

Angus finished his treat just as they reached the conference room where the meeting was going to take place, brushing his hands off idly against his jeans in lieu of a napkin. Paloma opened the door, and what was waiting beyond had Angus losing all sense of his normal propriety and hurrying past her with barely a by your leave. He threw himself at Barry and Lup, his arms immediately going around as much of Barry's waist as he could manage.

Barry laughed and then warmly returned the hug. Angus could feel his happiness as they hugged, though it was tinged with an odd sense of apprehension that Angus wasn't sure about. Why would Barry be nervous to see him? Maybe he was just nervous about Miss Paloma, but that was silly. Miss Paloma was one of the least threatening people in the world. She was like every cliche of a nice grandma all rolled up into one person.

Angus let Barry go and then hugged Lup as well, finding that she had the same nervousness to her emotional aura as her sentinel did. He subtly scented the air, but there were only the faintest hints of acridity to either of their scents that he usually associated with that emotion. How odd.

Once all the greetings were done, Paloma led the three of them over to a seating area with two loveseats facing one another and a small coffee table in the middle set in the corner of the room. She settled in on one of the loveseats, placing her overlarge handbag on the table in front of her.

“So, Angus, you are wondering why we are all here, yes?” she said, pulling out a sealed manila envelope that looked to be moderately full of what Angus assumed were papers.

“Yes, I am,” he replied. “Not that I don't like seeing Miss Lup and Mister Barry, of course!”

“We like seeing your face too, bud, especially in person,” Barry said, giving him a fond smile. Angus returned it before refocusing on Paloma.

“So... What's going on? Why are we here?”

“Something that has been in the works for quite some time has nearly finished,” Paloma told him, “but your input is something that is needed for it to be fully done. I think I will let the others tell you a little more. They can explain it better than me.”

Angus turned his attention to Barry and Lup, both of whom looked considerably more nervous, Barry especially so. Barry gave Lup a glance before turning his attention back to Angus.

“We, uh, we wanted to talk to you about something,” he began, “something important. I know you've been through a lot since we first met and haven't had a lot of say in how your life has been since then, but this... this was something we couldn't just do without talking to you first.”

“It's a pretty big step,” Lup added, taking hold of Barry's hand and squeezing it encouragingly. “You've become a special part of our lives, even if it's been over a distance for most of it.”

“And we totally understand if you say no or want to look at other options, but...” Barry took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing on. “We were hoping you would let us adopt you. Or- or we could be your foster parents instead, but we--”

Angus was out of his chair and throwing himself at the two of them like a shot, not letting Barry finish what he was going to say before he was embracing him yet again, his grip tight as he clung to him.

“Yes yes yes,” he chanted, not caring that his voice was muffled or that tears were running down his face. He felt Barry's breath hitch before the older sentinel hefted him up more firmly onto his lap, Lup leaning in to complete the embrace. Angus could feel the nervousness of the two adults fade away, the emotion being replaced by an almost overwhelming sense of joy and relief.

Once the three of them were able to disentangle themselves from one another, Angus settled in between Barry and Lup while Paloma produced the necessary paperwork to make it all official. The paperwork had already gone before a sympathetic judge and had all the necessary signatures and seals, needing only Barry, Lup, and Paloma's signatures to make it official. Paloma produced a pen and handed it and the paperwork over, smiling to herself as first Lup and then Barry signed the appropriate spots. She added her own signatures as needed, ending the last one with a bit of a flourish before she put the paperwork back in its envelope.

“Congratulations!” she said, pulling out the bag of cookies and then offering it around. “Cookie to celebrate?”

That earned some chuckles from the new family, but all three took one of the sweets, leaving Paloma to take one for her own. Angus felt comfortably squished between his now-parents, feeling like the luckiest kid in the world as he ate his cookie and soaked up the love.

-/-

Angus forced himself not to pace as he waited impatiently for his name to be called, his hands running over the slightly stiff fabric of his clothes. He didn't mind. He'd been working hard for this day, and now that it was finally here... Well, he just hoped he didn't forget what he had to say. He'd been practicing every night for the past week in front of the mirror, but giving a speech in front of a large crowd was a whole different ballgame.

Finally, the moment he'd been waiting for came, making him breathe a sigh of relief.

“--and now, please join me in welcoming to the stage, the valedictorian of the graduating class of 2026, Angus McDonald-Bluejeans!”

Angus stepped out onto the stage to a massive roar of applause and cheers, and he had to smile to himself when he heard the particularly loud cheering from the small group of seats near the front where his family were sitting. He shot them an amused look as he took his place at the lectern, placing his hands lightly on its smooth surface.

“Thank you, Principal Kraft. As you all heard, my name is Angus McDonald-Bluejeans, and no, that's not a joke, though I can tell you one if you really want.” He waited for the polite chuckles to die down before continuing on. “If you'd told me eight years ago that I'd be giving a speech as valedictorian of my high school graduating class, I probably would've looked at you funny. I've always known I was intelligent, but speeches? Surprisingly, that's not really my kind of thing, and yet here I am.

“I'm here because of many things. Sure, my good grades helped, but that's not the only reason. I'm mainly here because of the amazing support system and family I have. Just after I turned ten, my grandfather died. It was... a rough time after that. Thankfully, I was saved from those rough times by people I've been proud to call my family for the past seven years. My father, mother, and uncle rescued me from a dark place and, after some rough waters, managed to give me a safe harbor to grow and thrive in.

“I wouldn't be here without their support. None of those graduating here today would be where we are without the support of someone, be that family, friends, or teachers. Class of 2026, let's keep that support going. We're stepping out into the wide world and embarking on our own journeys, but that doesn't mean we have to do it alone. Lift one another up. Create new friendships. Learn fearlessly. Thrive. Love. _Live_.

“We are going out into the world. Let's make it an amazing one. Thank you.”

Angus stepped back from the lectern, quickly moderating his sense of hearing as the other graduates cheered, clapped, and whistled in celebration. He gave the principal a nod and then left the stage, ducking backstage to change out of his graduation robes while Principal Kraft gave the closing statements. Once he was done, he went in search of his family, his graduation robe tucked safely away in the garment bag he'd brought with him.

“Angus, over here!”

Angus turned at Magnus' call, brightening up at the sight of his uncle in all but blood and legalities waving him over to the small knot of people waiting for him. His growth spurts in the later part of middle school and the early part of high school had brought him to a height that was just a little above Magnus' own, though Angus was relatively sure that Magnus could pick him up off his feet still if he wanted to do so. He walked over to his family, unable to keep the fond smile off his face at the sight of all of them waiting for him.

“You did it!” Lup said excitedly, pulling him in for a hug and a kiss. “I'm so happy for you!”

“Thanks, Mom,” Angus replied as Barry gave him a hug as well. “I'm just glad I didn't mess anything up.”

“You did a lot better than I ever would,” Barry told him. “I hate public speaking.”

“That's just because you're a giant nerd,” Taako teased, his tone light. “And somehow you managed to land my sister.”

“Hey, I happen to like giant nerds,” Lup retorted, acting the picture of maturity as she quickly stuck her tongue out at Taako. Angus rolled his eyes fondly.

“You are all ridiculous and I love you. So, what're the plans now that everything's done?” he asked, breaking up the familiar bantering between his mother and uncle.

“Dinner,” Kravitz replied. Taako nodded.

“Hell yeah! We're going all out, _bubelah_ ,” he said. “It's not a celebration until you're so stuffed you can't move.” He grinned. “Or you pop a button on your jeans.”

“That was _one_ time,” Merle said immediately. “And those were old anyways.”

Angus couldn't help the smile that formed as he listened to his family go back and forth, soaking up the deep-seated love and affection that flowed as easily as water downhill. He wouldn't give it up for the world, and ever since that wonderful day seven years ago, he didn't have to.


End file.
